Which Fire Country Stars Are Returning For Season 5 — And Who’s Officially Gone?

“Fire Country” has never exactly played it safe with its cast, and honestly, that unpredictability has become part of the show’s identity. Characters come and go, major deaths happen suddenly, and viewers are often left wondering who’s actually sticking around long-term.

Now, with Season 5 on the horizon, fans are once again trying to figure out which “Fire Country” stars are returning — and which actors may already be done with Edgewater for good.

The CBS drama has gone through a surprisingly large amount of change since premiering in 2022. What started as a story centered on inmate firefighter Bode Donovan quickly expanded into a much bigger universe filled with family drama, personal losses, romances, and some pretty chaotic shakeups behind the scenes too.

Budget cuts, cast exits, and even a showrunner departure have all complicated things over the past couple of seasons.

Still, several major stars are expected to remain at the center of the series moving forward.

Max Thieriot Isn’t Going Anywhere

At this point, it’s hard to imagine “Fire Country” without Max Thieriot.

The actor not only stars as Bode Donovan, but he also co-created the show, which makes his future feel pretty secure. Since the very first episode, the story has revolved around Bode’s complicated return to Edgewater and his attempt to rebuild relationships while working through the California Conservation Camp Program.

Even as supporting characters have rotated in and out, Bode has remained the emotional anchor of the series.

Season 5 will almost certainly continue focusing heavily on him, especially after all the emotional fallout from Season 4.

Also read: Which Fire Country Stars Are Returning For Season 5 — And Who’s Officially Gone?

Diane Farr, Kevin Alejandro, And Jordan Calloway Are Expected Back

Several longtime cast members also appear set to continue into the new season.

Diane Farr is returning as Sharon Leone, though her storyline is expected to take a much heavier emotional turn after Vince’s death. Grief will reportedly play a major role in Sharon’s arc moving forward, which could end up being one of the more emotional parts of the season.

Kevin Alejandro’s Manny Perez also seems firmly planted in the story after finally getting out of Three Rock. His freedom opened up a lot more possibilities for the character, and the writers appear interested in exploring that further.

Meanwhile, Jordan Calloway’s Jake Crawford started uncovering deeper truths about his family during Season 4. That storyline still feels unfinished, so fans will likely see it continue developing in future episodes.

Jules Latimer’s Eve Edwards is also expected to remain important to the show. Her role has steadily grown over time, and by the midseason finale, it became clear she’s now one of the core characters holding the series together.

Billy Burke’s Exit Still Hits Hard

One of the biggest changes heading into Season 5 is, of course, the absence of Billy Burke.

Burke’s character Vince Leone was killed off, and while “Fire Country” has surprised viewers before, this one seems pretty final. Vince’s death left a huge emotional hole in the show, especially because he was such a central figure within both the Leone family and the firehouse itself.

Interestingly, Billy Burke has stayed fairly quiet publicly about leaving the series, which has only fueled more fan speculation online.

Still, unless the show suddenly leans heavily into flashbacks, Vince won’t be returning in present-day storylines.

And honestly, the series probably wouldn’t want to undo a death that impactful so quickly.

Stephanie Arcila’s Future Remains Uncertain

Stephanie Arcila’s departure as Gabriela Perez was another major surprise for viewers.

Gabriela exited during the Season 4 premiere, but unlike Vince’s story, her character wasn’t killed off. Instead, Gabriela simply moved on toward a happier chapter elsewhere, leaving the door technically open for future appearances.

Arcila herself has even hinted she’d gladly return if asked.

That means fans probably shouldn’t completely give up hope yet.

The same kind of uncertainty surrounds Leven Rambin, who played Audrey. After Gabriela’s departure, Audrey briefly became Bode’s primary romantic connection before also being written out before the end of Season 4.

Rambin has reportedly expressed interest in returning too, but there’s no official confirmation either way.

Morena Baccarin Will Likely Appear Occasionally

Morena Baccarin’s Mickey Sheridan helped launch the “Sheriff Country” spinoff through a backdoor pilot storyline, and now that series has become its own thing entirely.

Because of that, Baccarin probably won’t appear regularly on “Fire Country” anymore. However, guest appearances still seem very possible, especially since the two shows exist in the same universe.

Crossovers honestly feel almost inevitable at this point.

Some Familiar Faces Could Still Pop Back Up

A few other names remain floating somewhere in the middle ground between “gone” and “possibly returning.”

Showrunner Tia Napolitano previously hinted there were plans involving Shawn Hatosy’s character Brett Richards, though no concrete details have surfaced yet.

Jelly Roll’s character Noah also falls into that same category. Fans responded positively to his appearance, and there’s definitely interest in bringing him back, but nothing official has been announced so far.

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At the same time, “Fire Country” is also dealing with its own behind-the-scenes transition after Napolitano stepped away following four seasons. That leadership change could influence casting decisions moving forward too.

One thing the show has proven repeatedly, though, is that nobody’s place feels completely guaranteed.

And for fans, that uncertainty is probably both the frustrating part and the reason they keep watching.

Max Thieriot

After viewers were introduced to Edgewater through Thieriot’s character, Bode, Fire Country has kept him the focus of the show.

Kevin Alejandro

Manny’s release from Three Rock allowed him to be front and center on the series.

Jordan Calloway

Jordan Calloway’s Jake learned more about his family in season 4, which presumably will keep being explored in future episodes.

Stephanie Arcila

Stephanie Arcila exited as Gabriela in the season 4 premiere but she previously told Us she would return if given the option.

Jules Latimer

Based on the midseason finale of Fire Country, Jules Latimer’s Eve will keep playing an important role on the show.

Diane Farr

Diane Farr’s Sharon will return in season 5 as she continues to grieve the loss of her husband, Vine (Burke).

Billy Burke

Billy Burke has yet to address his exit from Fire Country, but his character, Vince, can’t return after being killed off.

Morena Baccarin

Morena Baccarin will likely find her way back to Edgewater but only in guest star capacities. The actress is currently leading Sheriff Country, which has been renewed for season 2.

Leven Rambin

After Gabriela’s exit, Audrey was Bode’s one and only love interest — only to be written off the show before season 4 came to an end. Leven Rambin has shown interest in reprising the role but her future on Fire Country remains unclear.

Shawn Hatosy

Napolitano hinted at plans to bring Shawn Hatosy back but details remain unclear.

Jelly Roll

The same goes for Jelly Roll’s character Noah, who could return but nothing concrete has been confirmed yet.