As the Boomtown music festival opens its gates for the first time since 2019, organisers have placed a ban on open fires amid fears the extreme hot weather poses a significant hazard to crowds.

Up to 66,000 people are expected to attend the four-day dance festival at the Matterley Estate, near Winchester, and have been warned not to use open fires and to be careful with stray cigarettes.

The return of the event, which was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, coincides with yet another heatwave in England with temperatures expected to hit 36C on Saturday or Sunday, and a drought declared in parts of the country.

In a statement, the organisers of the festival said: “After consultation with the fire service … we have no option but to put a ban on open fires including stoves during the festival.

“The ground is tinder dry and alongside our concerns about cooking fires, we are particularly wanting to point out the danger of stray cigarettes. The organisers have urged smokers to carefully extinguish cigarettes, motorists to not keep their cars running when stationary and campers to refrain from using portable stoves.”

The festival has also reduced the number of fire performers and the number of community fire pits in the campsite areas.

In addition to fire risk, organisers are encouraging attenders to take care in the extreme heat by keeping hydrated, staying in the shade and applying sunscreen.

In 2016, about 80 cars were destroyed in a car park fire at the festival.