Back in April 2025, Fire Country fans received the worst news ever. It was announced that two original cast members would not be coming back for the upcoming fourth season. One of those unlucky cast members was Billy Burke, who played Cal Fire Battalion Chief Vince Leone for all three seasons since the show’s debut. The other beloved cast member was Stephanie Arcila, known for portraying Cal Fire firefighter and paramedic, Gabriela Perez, for seasons 1 through 3.
Vince was a central figure on the Station 42 team, known for his leadership, bravery, and unwavering dedication to both his firefighters and the communities they serve. That's why finding out about Burke’s departure hit fans especially hard. But at the same time, his exit didn't come completely as a surprise. The season 3 finale pretty much set up his exit storyline, and after the Fire Country season 4 trailer dropped, Vince's fate was finally revealed.
What happened to Vince in Fire Country?
In the explosive Fire Country season 3 finale, the Zebel Ridge fire engulfs the Buena Vista memory care center, forcing Station 42 into a desperate rescue mission. In the episode's tense final moments, the burning building collapses with Sharon, Walter, and Vince still inside, leaving viewers uncertain about their survival.
But while the cliffhanger kept fans guessing about who might have perished in the fire, the season 4 trailer confirmed that Vince did not make it out, though Sharon and Walter survived. In the trailer, Bode is seen being kept safely outside the burning building, locked in the truck to prevent him from running back inside.
The trailer then cuts to Bode delivering a heartfelt eulogy at Vince’s funeral, where he vows to honor his father’s legacy by protecting the town, the station, and the mission Vince dedicated his life to. Later, Bode asserts that he should become battalion chief, telling Jake, who is more qualified, “It’s my birthright." It looks like there will be a new conflict over leadership at Station 42 in the fourth season. That can't be good!
Unfortunately, we won't see Burke reprise his role as Vince in Fire Country ever again since his character died. That's how the show chose to handle his exit. Perhaps we might see Vince in flashbacks or dream sequences somewhere down the line, but his story as an active member of Station 42 has come to a close. However, Arcila will return as Gabriela for the season 4 premiere to close out her storyline. Now, that should be exciting to watch.
Why did Billy Burke leave Fire Country after season 3?
I'll start by saying that it wasn't Burke's choice. There are times when actors leave a show due to personal decisions, career moves, or creative differences, but that wasn't the case this time around. The decision to write Vince Leone out of Fire Country came from the creators, who wanted to craft a significant, story-driven moment that reflected the real dangers of being a wildland firefighter.
According to co-creator Tony Phelan in an interview with TVInsider, the goal was to give the show and its characters a meaningful loss that would shake up the team, challenge the younger firefighters, and push the story forward, all while honoring Vince’s legacy and Burke’s important presence on the series. Phelan continued by stating that Vince’s death will have a major impact on the rest of the fourth season.
"We felt like coming into Season 4, we have a show about wildland firefighters and we have the same cast that we had from the beginning. And to be truthful to the work that these people do, which is always our desire, we felt like it was time for the show and the characters to have a loss. And last season was about legacy. Vince dealing with the legacy of his father and using that as a lens to look at what his relationship with Bode was.
And as we were talking about the end of the season, we felt like the thing that was really going to shake up the show and shake up our characters in the best way possible and force them to really reassess where they were and what they were doing was this kind of loss. And so at the same time, we want to be very respectful of the character of Vince, of how important he is to the show, and how important Billy was as a presence on the show. So, 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."
Fire Country season 4 premieres on CBS tonight at 8/7c.