NEARLY 10,000 potential fire hotspots were detected in August across land managed by Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) members in Malaysia and Indonesia, although the organisation stressed that the satellite readings did not equate to confirmed fires.
A total of 9,841 potential hotspots were detected across land managed by 53 RSPO members, covering both certified and non-certified areas disclosed by the members to the organisation.
RSPO said multiple satellite detections could be linked to the same fire, while some could later be determined to have resulted from sources other than fire.
“RSPO relies on the member’s on-the-ground verification and supporting information to establish whether a hotspot represents an actual fire and, where possible, its cause,” it said yesterday.
It also stressed that a fire detected near or within a plantation did not automatically mean that the landowner had started it or breached RSPO standards.
Satellite hotspots can indicate vegetation fires, but may also be caused by industrial facilities or other non-fire heat sources.
RSPO said it maintained a strict prohibition on open burning for land preparation and warned that confirmed violations would be dealt with seriously.
“Predetermined sanctions are not assigned solely based on reported fire causes,” it stated.
“Where a breach of RSPO standards is formally established, penalties escalate strictly based on severity - ranging from corrective action and formal warnings to certification suspension or membership termination.”
The organisation said causes identified through its monitoring process and communication with members could include various activities and circumstances.
These included shifting cultivation, burning by local communities, hunting, fires spreading from neighbouring areas, sabotage, arson, the use of fire as a wildlife deterrent, encroachment or temporary occupation of land, and land preparation or new planting activities.
RSPO said no formal investigations had been opened for the August monitoring period. - September 9, 2026
