Why did Billy Burke and Stephanie Arcila leave “Fire Country”? What we know about their exits (and potential returns)

Allison DeGrusheFri, February 27, 2026 at 1:00 PM UTC

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Billy Burke as Vince Leone and Stephanie Arcila as Gabriela Perez on 'Fire Country'Credit: James Minchin/CBS (2)Key Points -

The CBS drama Fire Country stars Max Thieriot as an ex-con seeking redemption as part of the Cal Fire program.

OG firefighters Billy Burke and Stephanie Arcila left the main cast following season 3.

The "door is open" for Arcila's return, says Fire Country showrunner Tia Napolitano.

Four seasons in, Fire Country remains a hot property at CBS.

The series centers on Bode (Max Thieriot), an ex-con who finds redemption and purpose while smothering flames with the Cal Fire program. Throughout the first three seasons, he worked with his dad, Battalion Chief Vince Leone (Billy Burke), and found a spark with fellow firefighter Gabriela Perez (Stephanie Arcila).

It was a surprise, then, when fans realized these characters, both of whom had been with the show since its 2022 debut, would be absent from season 4, which debuted last fall and returns this week.

Here's everything we know about why they left Fire Country and what they've said about their exits.

Why did Billy Burke leave Fire Country?

Billy Burke as Vince Leone on 'Fire Country'Credit: Sergei Bachlakov/CBS

Burke helped lead Fire Country as Vince Leone, the tough-as-nails battalion chief running Station 42 and calling the shots as his team battled wildfires and pulled off daring rescues.

Season 3 ended on a cliffhanger, with Vince trapped in a burning building and fans in the dark about his fate. Vince's death was confirmed in the season 4 trailer, and the premiere, "Goodbye for Now," saw the Cal Fire team mourning him at his funeral.

Burke hasn't publicly addressed his exit, but showrunner Tia Napolitano told Entertainment Weekly in October that killing off Vince was a creative decision.

"Vince is so important to everyone on our show, it would make the biggest impact," she said. "We're in season 4, and we felt like it was time to take all the puzzle pieces, throw them up in the air, and make a fresh picture for everybody."

She added, "It felt like the death of Vince was a fresh wound all of our characters would experience together along with our audience."

In a chat with TV Insider, co-creator Tony Phelan said the "loss of Vince is going to echo through the entire season, and we are going to see our younger firefighters really have to begin to grapple with growing up and what is the next step for them."

He added that there's "always a possibility" of Vince returning in flashbacks.

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Burke has already lined up his next gig. According to Deadline, fans can see him on Peacock's upcoming M.I.A., a crime drama from Ozark creator Bill Dubuque.

Why did Stephanie Arcila leave Fire Country?

Stephanie Arcila as Gabriela Perez on 'Fire Country'Credit: CBS

Stephanie Arcila starred on Fire Country as Gabriela Perez, a Cal Fire firefighter and paramedic who had an on-again, off-again relationship with Bode.

Gabriela appears briefly in the season 4 premiere, in which she leaves Edgewater to travel the country and recruit new firefighters for Cal Fire.

Arcila opened up to Us Weekly about her exit, saying she was just as blindsided by it as the audience was. "I had no idea ever. It was a complete shock," she said, adding that she found out while filming the season 3 finale.

"But at the same time, I know that this is the nature of the industry that I'm in, and I have accepted the flow of release and acceptance throughout my journey and knowing that when one door closes, another one opens always," she continued.

Stephanie Arcila as Gabriela Perez on 'Fire Country'Credit: Sergei Bachlakov/CBS

In a chat with Deadline, the actress revealed that the creatives wanted to take a break from Bode and Gabriela's story. "He’s seeing someone else right now, so it makes sense that we would take a breather."

Arcila is optimistic about Gabriela's potential return. "I never say never," she said. "Life takes us through so many avenues, and Gabriela is such a gift to me in my career, personally and professionally ... As for the future, I've learned that these writers always surprise me, and I have no expectations, just excitement."

Napolitano echoed that sentiment with EW: "I say the door is open for a Gabriella return, and for the potential of Bodiella in the future," she said. "She's off to do great things. You know, we wrote her a happy ending. We had them say their feelings to one another on that bench in a way that I think is really sweet and really authentic. It feels like love was never their issue, as Bode says, and now is not their time, but the door's open."

Where can I watch Fire Country?

Fire Country airs on CBS and streams on Paramount+.

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