🔥 Fire Country is heating up again — but not in the way fans were hoping.
CBS’s hit drama is heading into its fourth season with some major shake-ups, and viewers aren’t happy. The departures of longtime fan favorites Billy Burke (Chief Vince Leone) and Stephanie Arcila (Gabriela Perez) have sparked a wave of disappointment across the fanbase. The emotional weight of their exits is being felt far and wide, with many questioning the direction of the show.
Season 3 ended on a jaw-dropping cliffhanger: a fire engulfing a care facility that housed Vince, Sharon, and Walter. While the finale left their fates hanging in the balance, recent confirmations suggest Vince didn’t make it out. Billy Burke’s exit now seems to line up with the storyline — but that hasn’t made it easier for viewers to accept.
Gabriela’s departure, however, is far more mysterious. Stephanie Arcila revealed in a recent interview that she has “no idea” how her character will be written off, fueling fan theories and frustrations alike. With no closure in sight, the sense of loss is only deepening.
Online, fans are voicing their outrage:
“If Vince and Gabriela are gone, I’m out!”
“This show is nothing without them.”
“They CANNOT get rid of Vince.”
The show’s producers have defended the decision, pointing to creative choices and a desire to honor the realism of firefighting — a profession full of sudden goodbyes and emotional twists. Still, the timing and handling of the exits are leaving many wondering if Fire Country is losing its spark.
Set to return in Fall 2025, Fire Country Season 4 promises more high-stakes drama, but the absence of two core characters will undoubtedly shift the dynamic — and potentially the loyalty of longtime fans.
The hit CBS drama will be back this fall for an epic season 4, which will likely pick up after a heart-stopping cliffhanger involving the family of Bode Leone (Max Thieriot). As viewers watched his dad Vince (Billy Burke), mom Sharon (Diane Farr) and grandfather Walter (Jeff Fahey) all get caught in a fire affecting Walter’s healthcare facility, they also witnessed Bode go to his knees while watching the establishment collapse around his loved ones. While it’s been confirmed someone will die from this tragedy, it’s unclear exactly who will be affected by this.
As fans wait to see what happens, Fire Country decided to share some news about what’s to come. Posting on Instagram on May 7, it was revealed that both Fire Country and its spinoff Sheriff Country will take over Friday nights for CBS. What’s more, the show’s social team couldn’t hold back their excitement about this prospect.
“Clear your schedules — because our double stacked @CBStv Friday prevails this fall! 🚒🚓,” the caption officially read.
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Even though fans were excited to learn Fire Country would be back on the air, many had strong feelings about it. They took to the comments to say they may not be so keen on watching season 4, given how Stephanie Arcila (who plays Gabriela Perez) and Billy likely won’t be back for the next installment.
“If Vince and Gabriela are gone, we’ll I’m out! No thanks!” one person exclaimed in the comments. “We need both Vince and Gabriela back on Fire Country or it won’t be the same show we all fell in love with in season one,” another agreed. “They CANNOT get rid of Vince 😢,” a different viewer added.
Even though nothing is set in stone for the future of Fire Country, there is one thing fans are certain about. As executive producers/co-creators Joan Rater and Tony Phelan, along with showrunner Tia Napolitano, told Deadline in April 2025, there will be cast shakeups — and there is a good reason for it.
“That’s a reality, there’s danger in this sort of job, so we wanted to honor that and really up the stakes,” they told the outlet at the time. “That’s how it works with character-driven dramas. You want the opportunity for that door to open, for someone to walk out of it, or for someone to walk into it. We’re really leaning into that aspect of the show as well as honoring the authenticity.”
