Fire Country’ Season 4: Max Thieriot Suggests Bode’s Struggles Are Far From Over — Should Fans Be Worried?

When Fire Country returns with season 4, Max Thieriot's Bode Leone will probably go down a dark path, thanks to a troubling update concerning his upcoming character arc. The CBS action drama revolves around Bode, a former inmate turned firefighter. He works alongside his family (his father, Vince Leone, and his mother, Sharon Leone) for Cal Fire in the series, which is obviously a very dangerous job. As many will recall, this risk came into play when Fire Country season 3 ended with a devastating cliffhanger. Heading into season 4, it's unclear which characters survived and which ones didn't.

The Fire Country season 3 finale featured the characters fighting off the Zabel Ridge fire. Walter Leone, Bode's grandfather, recruited his grandson to persuade the Buena Vista memory care facility to order an evacuation to escape the fire. Bode came to Walter's rescue, of course. However, his heroic actions also put his family at risk because Vince and Sharon went to the treatment center, too. At the end of the episode, Vince, Sharon, and Walter were seemingly inside the burning building when the roof collapsed, and Jake Crawford had to hold Bode back from running inside to help them.

Max Thieriot Shares How Bode Will React To Vince's Possible Death In Fire Country Season 4

Bode Will Be "Broken"

While speaking with TVLine on a red carpet in June 2025, Max Thieriot teased what's to come for his Fire Country character in season 4. In particular, the actor/executive producer shared how Bode might react if his father, Vince, were to die after the horrific events of the season 3 finale. Thieriot revealed that Bode would be "very broken" and added

"Bode has obviously gone through a lot of hardship in his life, and it seems like every time he feels like he's coming out the other side, something happens. So I worry what [Vince's death] would do to him, and how poorly he would respond ... We know [Bode has] made leaps and bounds as far as the person he is after being incarcerated, but has he come far enough to deal with something like that or not…? It's heavy."

As the Fire Country cast member said, Bode has been through a lot, much more than any one person should. His hardships began when he was young, but it seemed like Bode was finally turning his life around once he left prison and started working for Cal Fire full-time. If his father (or any family member) were to die, it's unclear what exact state Bode would resort to. One thing is for certain, though: Vince's death could very easily wreck Bode. He could regress to his former self, jeopardizing all the progress he has made throughout Fire Country's three seasons

Why Vince Is Likely Going To Die In Fire Country Season 4

Billy Burke Is Leaving The Show

In theory, any of Bode's three family members could have died when the burning building's roof collapsed during the cliffhanger-heavy Fire Country season 3 finale. However, many suspect that Vince will be the one not to make it out alive, while Sharon (and maybe Walter) survive. Their reasoning is solid, seeing as Billy Burke, who plays Vince, is set to leave the CBS action drama ahead of the season 4 premiere. Meanwhile, Diane Farr is expected to return as Sharon.

According to the show's producers, Burke is leaving the show for creative reasons instead of personal ones. Some believe budget cuts also account for the actor's exit, but CBS hasn't confirmed or denied that logic. Nevertheless, the Fire Country producers decided to write Vince out of the series. Given that his departure is attributed to story reasons and what happened in the season 3 finale, it's all but confirmed that Burke is exiting because his character is dying.

Why Fire Country Season 4 Is Set Up To Be Bode's Most Challenging Year Yet

Gabriela Is Also Leaving Fire Country

If (and when) Vince dies in Fire Country, Bode will be completely and utterly heartbroken. His portrayer has already confirmed that the death of his character's father would break Bode, pushing him into unknown waters where anything could happen. For that alone, season 4 will be quite the challenge for Bode. However, the fact that Gabriela is exiting Fire Country alongside Vince means that Bode is losing two people (and maybe three if Walter dies in the fire, too) who have played a significant role in his life. So, Bode will likely be at his lowest in Fire Country season 4.