Seventeen-year-old volunteer goes viral while helping firefighters battle severe peatland fires in Central Kalimantan.
Against the fire-scorched landscape of Central Kalimantan, a teenager wearing a red-and-blue Superman costume has drawn widespread attention for helping fight peatland fires. Behind the viral images is a serious story of community action as worsening fires, drought, and haze put enormous pressure on firefighters and residents across Borneo.
Teenager Becomes Kalimantan’s ‘Superman’
Seventeen-year-old student Rudiyansah has been helping his father’s volunteer firefighting group around Palangkaraya since 2023, using his free time after school to extinguish smoldering peatland fires. This year, he began wearing a Superman costume while volunteering, initially for fun, but footage of him handling a fire hose against the scorched landscape went viral with millions of views and earned him recognition as a “forest hero” from Indonesia’s forestry minister.
Family Commitment Behind Viral Images
Rudiyansah’s father, Mulyadi, established the volunteer firefighting group in 2020 and said the 2026 haze is the worst the team has encountered since its formation. The teenager reportedly wets his costume before entering fire-affected areas to reduce the risk of it catching fire and washes it every night, while his father described him as an ordinary child at home who willingly joins whenever he sees him heading out to fight fires.
More Than 200,000 Hectares Burned
The teenager’s efforts come amid a severe wildfire season, with more than 200,000 hectares affected by fires across Indonesia between January and July 2026. Prolonged dry conditions have increased the risk of fires, while Mulyadi said dwindling water supplies have become a major challenge as wells and other sources dry up. Smoke from the fires has blanketed parts of Indonesian Borneo and crossed into neighboring Malaysia.
Indonesia Escalates Firefighting Response
The Indonesian government has expanded its response as conditions deteriorate, with President Prabowo Subianto ordering additional personnel, helicopters, and firefighting equipment for Kalimantan. Authorities announced the deployment of about 1,500 additional soldiers, while nearly 13,000 personnel had been assigned across Central, South, and West Kalimantan for patrols and ground operations as authorities intensified cloud seeding and water bombing.
Young Volunteer Dreams of Protecting Forests
For Rudiyansah, volunteering may also point toward his future. The teenager hopes to become a forest ranger and has used his newfound attention to encourage other volunteers and firefighters to continue confronting the crisis. His story has transformed a playful superhero costume into a highly visible reminder that Indonesia’s wildfire response depends not only on government resources but also on local communities willing to defend their land from increasingly difficult environmental conditions.
Rudiyansah’s story brings a human face to an environmental emergency affecting Indonesia and its neighbors. For Indonesians, his actions highlight the extraordinary contribution of community volunteers while underscoring the need for stronger prevention, peatland protection, and firefighting capacity. For Singaporeans and other Southeast Asian communities vulnerable to transboundary haze, Indonesia’s worsening fire season is a reminder that forest protection and climate resilience are regional concerns requiring sustained cooperation.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , CNA (2026)
Keywords: Indonesia Wildfires, Kalimantan Forest Fires, Rudiyansah Superman, Palangkaraya Wildfires, Indonesia Haze, Peatland Fires
