
Vince dies in Fire Country’s Season 4 premiere, shaking Station 42. Bode vows to honor his legacy as the crew faces loss, rivalry, and a critical rescue.
The new season of Fire Country opens with the death of Vince Leone, played by Billy Burke. His character, the Station 42 battalion chief, was killed in a building collapse caused by the Zabel Ridge fire during the Season 3 finale.
In the Season 4 promo released on September 24, 2026, viewers see that Sharon (Diane Farr) and Walter (Jeff Fahey) survive, but Vince does not. Bode (Max Thieriot) is restrained inside a firetruck for his safety as the situation unfolds, according to Forbes report.
“I’m gonna spend the rest of my career protecting my father’s town, my father’s stations, and my father’s mission,” Bode says during Vince’s funeral. Later in the trailer, Bode says he believes he should be battalion chief, calling it his “birthright,” even though Jake also wants the position and is more qualified.
The Season 4 is to premiere on October 17
The Season 4 premiere, airing Friday, October 17 at 8 p.m. ET, is titled “Goodbye for Now.” It continues right after the events of the Zabel Ridge fire. The episode summary says, “Station 42 faces internal turmoil but must rally together for a high-stakes rescue that tests their strength, loyalty and the future of the firehouse.”
Why Billy Burke’s character was killed ?
Many fans have wondered why Billy Burke’s character was written off the show and whether it was a personal decision by the actor. However, the choice to kill Vince was made by the show’s creators, not Burke himself.
Co-creators Tony Phelan and Joan Rater told TV Insider in September that the decision came from wanting to stay honest about the dangers of firefighting. “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,” Phelan explained.
Phelan said last season explored legacy, focusing on Vince and his father, and how that related to Bode. Removing Vince from the story would shake things up and push the rest of the characters to grow. “Force them to really reassess where they were and what they were doing was this kind of loss,” he added.
He also noted that the team wanted to treat Vince’s departure with respect. “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.”
Rater said they chose to show Vince’s death in the Season 4 trailer instead of waiting for the premiere. The goal was to prepare viewers and explore the emotional impact of his death right away.