TOPEKA, Kan.  - Independence Day in Kansas promises to be scorching hot, dry and windy, prompting officials to post burn bans across about half the state.
     They're also asking residents to take extra care with those celebratory bottle rockets and barbecues.
     Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Dale Rodman issued a statement Tuesday urging caution because "it only takes a small spark to ignite a large fire."
     Gov. Sam Brownback said Tuesday that 36 counties are in drought emergency, 55 counties are in drought warning status and 14 are in watch status. The National Weather Service says the prolonged heat wave will linger, with triple-digit temperatures and no chance of rain expected in Kansas for the rest of the week. Temperatures are forecast to be in the upper 90s and lower 100s.