STORY: Unseasonable heat is hitting parts of Europe - which came as a surprise to these tourists in Lisbon on Thursday.

“We really love it but it's really early and it's really hot."

While visitors may be enjoying the sun - the high temperatures are raising fears that wildfires could start early,

as they did last year when over 1.9 million acres were destroyed across Europe.

That’s more than double the annual average for the past 16 years.

Adding to the concern - an unusually dry winter that reduced moisture in the soil.

France is preparing its wildfire-fighting troops and its water-carrying aircraft a month earlier than usual.

This general inspector of France’s civil security said the conditions are a clear sign of climate change.

In Spain, residents are living through a drought that has seen 36-consecutive months of below average rainfall.

A cistern truck has been delivering drinking water for over a week to about 80,000 people in the country's south.

Their local reservoir has dried out and the alternative dam is unsuitable for human consumption.

Reservoirs in Spain are at 50% of their capacity, with some in the northeastern and southern regions at 25%.

Residents say they feel helpless and are afraid of what will happen come summer.