A 17-year-old student from Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, has drawn international attention after helping local residents and authorities extinguish forest and land fires while wearing a Superman costume.
Rudiansyah, a 10th-grade student at SMA Negeri 10 Palangka Raya, has been helping fight fires near his home in Jalan Petuk Katimpun, Petuk Katimpun sub-district, Jekan Raya, after school. Footage of his efforts was later shared on social media, including by The Washington Post, after being produced by international news agency Reuters.
Rudiansyah said he decided to help after seeing the fire spreading towards his home. He said his decision was also influenced by his experience during the severe haze that affected Palangka Raya in 2015.
“I was worried seeing the land fire getting closer to my house, so after school, I took the time to help put it out,” Rudi explained when interviewed by Kompas.com at the fire site on Jalan Petuk Katimpun on Monday (August 17, 2026).
The teenager, who was born in January 2009, is the third of four siblings. He said wearing the Superman costume was not planned as part of his firefighting efforts.
“I wore the costume just for fun; I bought it back in February 2026 for a marathon, but it never got used,” explained the teen.
Rudiansyah is an avid marathon runner, but the haze from the fires has affected his ability to train near his home in the mornings and afternoons.
He recalled becoming ill when he was six years old during the 2015 haze crisis.
“When I was six years old, back in 2015, Palangka Raya was blanketed in thick haze, and I actually got sick because of it; I didn’t want that to happen again,” he said.
Rudiansyah Says He Wants to Help His Community
Rudiansyah said his decision to fight the fires was spontaneous and motivated by his desire to protect his home and contribute to his community.
Rather than spending his free time at home, he chose to join firefighting efforts alongside local residents and officials.
“After school, I go out to help. Rather than staying home and just playing on my phone, I’d rather help put out the fires. After all, this is my home region,” he added.
The Superman costume subsequently became a defining part of images and videos of his efforts. The Washington Post shared footage of Rudiansyah fighting the fires on its Instagram account, citing video footage produced by Reuters and WashingtonPost.
Rudiansyah said there was no particular message behind his choice of costume. He simply wanted to make use of something he already owned.
“Instead of letting it go to waste, I decided to wear it while fighting the fires,” he said.
His father, Mulyadi, said he supported his son’s decision and believed Rudiansyah understood the situation and the risks involved.
“My son understands the situation well. Whenever he has no activities after school, he goes out to help. So, he knows exactly what needs to be done,” his father said.
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Forestry Minister Offers Scholarship
Rudiansyah’s efforts also attracted the attention of Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni, who met the teenager while visiting the fire site in Palangka Raya on Wednesday.
The minister commended Rudiansyah for helping to extinguish forest and land fires in the Petuk Katimpun area. During the meeting, he learned that the teenager hopes to become a forest ranger.
“He mentioned earlier that he wants to become a forest ranger. I am offering him a scholarship should he wish to pursue higher education in the future,” the minister said in Palangka Raya on Wednesday, as reported by Antara News.
The scholarship offer was made during the minister’s visit, when Rudiansyah was again wearing his Superman costume and working alongside local residents and officials.
Raja Juli also conveyed greetings to Rudiansyah from President Prabowo Subianto.
While the teenager’s Superman costume has attracted attention online, Rudiansyah has said his main motivation is much closer to home: preventing the fires and haze from reaching his neighbourhood. His experience during the 2015 haze remains a strong reminder of the impact forest and land fires can have on residents of Palangka Raya.
