'Superman' Teen Inspires While Battling Indonesian Wildfires

Thought Question: If you wanted to inspire the people in your community, what would you do?

Wildfires broke out in Indonesia in January. They have been burning ever since. Hundreds of people have braved the flames to try to control them. Seventeen-year-old Rudiyansah is one of them. He joined his father on the front lines in the battle against the fires. But he felt like that wasn't enough. He needed to do something to inspire his fellow firefighters. So he turned to an iconic symbol.

He dressed as Superman.

Rudiyansah has been helping since 2023. He stands side-by-side with masked, gloved, and goggled firefighters. He hacks at underbrush to clear away branches. He hoses down flames. Only this year did he think to put on the red cape, blue tights, and symbol of the House of Krypton. He soaks the costume in water so it doesn't burn. Then he heads toward the flames. He has earned the title of “Forest Hero” from his fellow workers, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"Honestly, I'm really happy because I can help locals, even though it feels really tiring," he told AFP. He was still wearing his cape during the smoke-tinged interview. Videos of Rudiyansah have gone viral. They draw attention to the dangerous situation on the island of Borneo and elsewhere. Droughts have eaten into the islands’ water supplies. They make it more difficult to control the fires that have scorched their way toward settlements and towns. So far this year, they have consumed an area more than three times the size of the national capital of Jakarta.

His fellow firefighters may be exhausted, but Rudiyansah hopes that his perseverance, and the symbolic meaning of his costume, inspires them to carry on.

"To volunteers and firefighters across Indonesia, keep up the spirit in the fight against the flames," he told AFP. 

Photo of Rudiyansah from Reuters.