It was a tough time for Fire Country fans back in April 2025 when news broke that Stephanie Arcila and Billy Burke wouldn’t be returning for season 4. Fans were heartbroken, speculating about the fate of their favorite characters and wondering how the show would handle such major departures.
But now, there’s a twist. Arcila is actually coming back, but don’t get too excited just yet because her return might not be exactly what you expect. In a new interview with TVLine, Fire Country showrunner Tia Napolitano teased that Arcila’s return will be a brief but memorable one, giving fans a “surprising"
yet "earned” send-off for Gabriela.
Napolitano explained that while Arcila won’t be returning as a full-time cast member, her appearance in the season 4 premiere will deliver a satisfying moment for longtime Gabriela and ‘Bohiela’ fans. In other words, the writers aim was to honor Gabriela’s story and give her a meaningful departure rather than just writing her off quickly.
It's unknown how Gabriela's exit storyline will play out in the Fire Country season 4 premiere, but there are definitely some characters who will be affected. Two of those characters are her ex-boyfriend, Bode, and her father, Manny. Napolitano spoke with TV Insider in a recent interview, sharing that Gabriela's departure will shake things up for Bode. Regardless of their on-again, off-again relationship, Gabriela has always been a huge support in Bode's life and vice versa. So, it would make sense that Bode is affected by her leaving.
"She’ll become very significant to him, as she always has been, in support in his life in the premiere so that he wonders when she leaves how he’s going to be without her. We’ve only known him since she’s been in his life in different capacities over the years, so, it’ll shake things up. I think it’ll make us wanting more Gabriela in the future, which is never a bad thing.”
When it comes to Manny, it's a no-brainer that he'd feel her absence too. I mean, that's her dad. According to Napolitano, Manny will have to turn to those around him from now on and support them with Gabriela stepping away. She teases that we'll see Manny become sort of a parental figure to other members of the team, which should be exciting to see.
"With Gabriela eventually not here every episode, he’s got all of this dad advice and dad jokes with nowhere to go, so you see him being a parental figure to Jake [Jordan Calloway], to Eve [Jules Latimer], of course to Bode in ways that remind us, Manny’s got wisdom. We put him through it. Manny’s got a lot of wisdom."
Will we ever see Arcila return to the action drama series in the future? Well, there's a possibility, according to Napolitano. She told TV Insider, "Never say never," which means the door is still open for Gabriela to make another appearance down the line. Fingers crossed!
Max Thieriot, Tony Phelan, and Joan Rater created Fire Country. Thieriot also stars in the series in the leading role of Bode Donovan, a former inmate turned wildland firefighter, who uses his second chance to protect communities from devastating fires. Fire Country season 4 is set to start airing on CBS on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, at 8/7c.