TOPEKA, Kan.  -  Gov. Sam Brownback has issued an emergency declaration for nine counties of central and north-central Kansas, citing the risk of wildfires.  Counties covered by the declaration issued Wednesday evening are Barton, Ellis, Ellsworth, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Phillips, Rooks and Russell.
     Sharon Watson, spokeswoman for the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, said crews were fighting uncontained grass fires Wednesday evening in Phillips, Rooks and Ellis counties.  Watson says grass fires were contained earlier Wednesday in Russell County, and near Great Bend in Barton County.
     Other counties covered by the declaration were included because they may be in the path of spreading fires.  Watson says there have been no reports of evacuations or injuries or of houses being damaged, although some farm buildings and outbuildings have been affected.