The cliffhanger finale ofFire Countryseason 3 set up whoever dies in season 4 as the most important tragedy, but it downplayed a massive catastrophe in doing so. The Zebel Ridge fire hit everyone indiscriminately inFire Countryseason 3’s ending, endangering all Edgewater residents and dooming the Leones never to be the same after Buena Vista’s roof collapse.
The announcement ofBilly Burke and Stephanie Arcila exiting ahead ofFire Countryseason 4ensured that the most likely to die in the Buena Vista fire is Vince. The loss of a central character is undoubtedly tragic and impactful, butanother similarly colossal loss was also revealed in the finale, andFire Countryseason 3 seemingly glossed over it.
Losing Three Rock Risks Fire Country Becoming Solely A Family Drama
Among the clear casualties of the Zebel Ridge fire was Three Rock.Fire Countryseason 3’s finale established early on howThree Rock was on the path of the fire, just like the Buena Vista care center,but the threat to it seemed smallerdue to Eve and all the inmate firefighters being there to defend their fire camp.
With Station 42 unable to reach Three Rock, having to prioritize the Leones,the Three Rock camp’s destruction became a certainty.Fire Countryseason 3ending with Eve forcing the inmates to retreat was heartbreaking, but the finale still presented the Leone tragedy as the most consequential development. However,Fire Countryrisks becoming solely a family drama without Three Rock.
While the Leones and Bode are indubitablyFire Country’s main characters, its peculiarity as a firefighting drama was always its focus on Cal Fire’s inmate firefighting program. Bode being the protagonist made the spotlight on the program appear seamless, but even after his release inFire Countryseason 2,Fire Countrycontinued to focus on the program through Three Rock.
Oxalta’s damage to Three Rock sending the inmates back to prison made their stories less important inFire Countryseason 3.Three Rock being completely destroyed risks extending this development well intoFire Countryseason 4, canceling what setFire Countryapart from other firefighting dramas through this loss. This can turnFire Countryinto a different kind of show.
Why Three Rock Will Have A Bigger Impact On Fire Country Than Vince’s Death
Vince’s death will definitely changeFire Countryforever, especially considering how an important part of the story he had always been. However, albeit tragic, it makes sense.The threats to the characters’ lives have to be a feature in high-stakes dramaslikeFire Country,and it wouldn’t be believable if they always made it out alive.
Vince’s likely death can especially have an enormous impact on viewers and other characters alike because of how beloved he had always been inFire Country, making his death an important reminder of the seriousness of the characters’ jobs and overall impactingFire Countryseason 4’s story in a big way. Still, the characters would eventually overcome his passing.
Fire Countryseason 4 premieres on CBS at 8pm ET on Friday, July 25, 2025.
However, losing Three Rock and not focusing on the inmate firefighters would be a change of a core characteristic ofFire Country, which could be extremely detrimental to the firefighting drama in the long run. Indeed,over three years, audiences got used toFire Countryfocusing on the fire camps, making it too hard a pivot if they just disappeared.
Three Rock being destroyed doesn’t necessarily meanFire Countryseason 4 won’t feature fire camps. Indeed, Audrey’s arrest inFire Countryseason 3’s ending could make her the link between the central story and a fire camp. In the meantime, Three Rock could be rebuilt. Still, whichever wayFire Countrychooses to tackle it, it cannot forget its biggest strength.
