A fire just after 5p.m. Wednesday in Hays was likely caused by a tossed cigarette.

Hays firefighters, police and Ellis County EMS responded to a building fire report at 19th and Oak Streets at 5:07p.m.

According to Fire Chief Gary Brown, a fire was burning in the garden mulch next to the house at 116 East 19th Street and then spread to the house exterior.

Firefighters used a fire extinguisher to quickly control the fire and one hose line was used to completely put it out.  The home’s interior was not damaged.

Brown says the most probable cause of the fire was discarded smoking materials in the dry mulch. “Fortunately a neighbor spotted the smoke and promptly called 9-1-1.”

This is the third outside fire that has spread to a building in Hays this year. Brown urges residents to carefully dispose of smoking materials and to have working home smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

8:30am – Hays Police have taken into custody a teen who escaped from a transport unit early Thursday morning. Assistant Chief Brian Dawson says the department appreciates the community’s help in locating the girl.

8:10am – Hays Police are looking for a 15-year-old Hispanic female who escaped from a transport Thursday morning around 6:30.

The girl is 5’5” 140 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen in the 7^th and Pine area wearing only a yellow hospital gown. She has a bandage on her right wrist. She may be combative.

Anyone who sees her should contact the Hays Police Department.

Beginning next week, some Hays residents may find bright pink notices on their homes. The city is contracting a sewer cleaning project, and the door notices will include information about the process and tips to avoid water damage.

Utilities Superintendent Bernie Kitten says the city is trying to get into a regular routine of sewer cleaning to make the system run better.

This work will focus on two small portions of town, north of 33^rd from Willow to Skyline and around 8^th Street from Elm to Main. Property owners will be notified prior to work beginning.

Kansas health officials and policymakers are holding a daylong meeting in Topeka on ways to stem the state’s rising obesity rate.

Thursday’s meeting was convened by the Governor’s Council on Fitness. Gov. Sam Brownback, Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer and Secretary of Health and Environment Robert Moser are among those taking part. Colyer and Moser are both physicians.

Business leaders and officials of local governments are among the more than 200 people invited to the summit. Topics include the effects of obesity on the Kansas economy.

Today will start out mostly sunny and will warm up quickly.

High temperatures will climb into the middle to upper 90s. A cold front moving through Wyoming will dive southeast and be in northwest Kansas by late this afternoon. As the front moves through southwestern Kansas this evening and tonight, there is a chance of severe thunderstorms with golfball hail, winds to 65 mph, and locally heavy rain.

Showers and storms will linger in the Pratt and Medicine Lodge areas early Friday morning, before moving eastward into central Kansas.

Last Year’s Temps/Records

2011 High: 84
2011 Low: 44
Record High: 106 (1931, 1939)
Record Low: 37 (1956)

• Today: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 5pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 97. Breezy, with a east southeast wind 8 to 13 mph becoming south 17 to 22 mph in the afternoon.
• Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1am. Some storms could be severe, with large hail and damaging winds. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. South wind 8 to 17 mph becoming west after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 75. Windy, with a north wind 22 to 29 mph.
• Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 76. North wind 9 to 17 mph.
• Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 85.
• Monday: Sunny, with a high near 90.