What the Fire Country season 4 premiere confirms

On October 17, 2025, CBS aired the Fire Country season 4 premiere that confirmed Battalion Chief Vince Leone, played by Billy Burke

, did not survive the Edgewater memory care facility fire. The blaze trapped Vince alongside Cal Fire Division Chief Sharon Leone and Vince’s father, Walter Leone; only Sharon and Walter emerged alive. The fallout drives the story this season and reframes life at Station 42.

Why Chief Leone was killed off

Showrunner Tia Napolitano has said the writers chose a loss that reflects the dangers firefighters face and that the season will keep honoring Vince Leone’s absence.

Diane Farr, who plays Sharon Leone, addressed upset viewers with a note of realism about depicting the job’s risks. She wrote on Instagram on October 19, 2025: “If we only show the risk in this vocation, week after week, without at least attempting to portray the profound loss… wouldn’t we be skipping the deepest part of portraying firefighters?” Farr also called the strong emotional response to Billy Burke’s exit “a testament to his beautiful work.”

Who’s replacing Vince at Station 42

The premiere also installed a new battalion chief: Brett Richards, played by Shawn Hatosy. Brett arrives with a reputation for shaking up struggling houses, and his style immediately clashes with a grieving crew still identifying as “the house of Leone.” Napolitano said of Brett’s approach, “I’m going to reinvent it, not rebuild it,” and warned that everyone will feel “under the microscope.” She added, “I think no one’s job is safe. The culture sure isn’t safe.”

The almost-alternate death and a two-loss scenario

Writers considered killing Walter Leone instead of Vince to create shock and momentum, and there was even discussion of two deaths—Vince and Walter—which would have compounded Sharon’s burden as both spouse and division chief. The team ultimately chose Vince’s death as the most surprising and story-driving outcome for season 4.