Topeka ? Recent storms have dumped rain over much of the state, but parts of western Kansans have remained dry enough that Gov. Kathleen Sebelius notified them on Wednesday that they need to worry about drought.

Sebelius issued an executive order placing 13 counties under either a drought watch or a more serious drought warning for the next two months. Local officials can ban outdoor burning and, in some cases, restrict water use.

The state’s main concerns are that crops will suffer and that wildfires are more likely, said Tracy Streeter, director of the Kansas Water Office. Sebelius issued the executive order based on his recommendations.

“Basically, we’re putting everyone on notice that we’ve watched these conditions worsen, and people need to be watching them,” Streeter said.

The warning applies to five counties in the state’s southwestern corner, where rainfall has been the shortest of normal levels over the past year. Those counties are Grant, Hamilton, Morton, Stanton and Stevens.

The state believes crops and pasture losses are likely. Not only can outdoor burning be banned, but public water systems can impose mandatory restrictions on water use. There’s only one more-serious category, a drought emergency.

A drought watch means the state believes crops and pastures could suffer damage and public water supplies face threats of shortages. Those systems can ask their consumers to cut back on water use.

The watch issued by Sebelius applies to eight counties. They are Finney, Greeley, Haskell, Kearney, Meade, Scott, Seward and Wichita.

“We will continue to watch the situation closely and do what we can to avoid significant water shortages,” Sebelius said in a statement.

Streeter said some parts of western Kansas simply have missed the rain that other regions of the state have received. The past year’s rainfall in some areas of western Kansas has fallen 30 percent or more short of normal levels.