Code:
<tr>
<td><img src="$stylevar[imgdir_statusicon]/thread_hot_new.gif" alt="$vbphrase[hot_thread_with_new_posts]" border="0" /></td>
<td class="smallfont"><phrase 1="$vboptions[hotnumberposts]" 2="$vboptions[hotnumberviews]">$vbphrase[more_than_x_replies_or_y_views]</phrase></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><img src="$stylevar[imgdir_statusicon]/thread_hot.gif" alt="$vbphrase[hot_thread_with_no_new_posts]" border="0" /></td>
<td class="smallfont"><phrase 1="$vboptions[hotnumberposts]" 2="$vboptions[hotnumberviews]">$vbphrase[more_than_x_replies_or_y_views]</phrase></td>
</tr>
That block is in the FORUMDISPLAY template, you can remove one if you wish but the icon will still show up in threads that use it. I would recoment changing the text to read something else.