First Resources denies responsibility for haze as fires occur outside operations

First Resources Limited said on Monday that the hotspots fuelling the current haze affecting parts of Southeast Asia are largely situated outside its operational regions, distancing itself from responsibility for the smoke affecting air quality across the area.

The Singapore-listed palm oil producer attributed the fires to El Niño weather patterns, which have been linked to increased drought conditions and vegetation dryness conducive to fire spread across the region.

The company's statement comes as haze from peatland and forest fires in Indonesia has triggered air quality alerts across multiple Southeast Asian countries in recent weeks. First Resources operates palm oil plantations across Indonesia, a region frequently affected by annual burning seasons.

The clarification signals the producer's attempt to separate its environmental record from the wider regional fire crisis. It underscores the ongoing dispute over fire management practices in the palm oil industry and the attribution of responsibility for transboundary haze pollution.

First Resources has not provided specific coordinates or operational details to support its claims regarding the location of current hotspots relative to its concessions.