As part of Collider’s Exclusive Preview, we’re debuting a brand-new first look at Fire Country Season 4, giving fans their first glimpse of Max Thieriot back in action as Bode after last season’s gut-wrenching cliffhanger. In our exclusive image from Season 4, Thieriot’s Bode stands between two massive fire engines, clad in his yellow firefighting jacket and helmet, gloves in hand. His expression is focused and intense — a man bracing for the next battle while carrying the weight of the last one. It’s a striking visual reminder that, for Bode, every call could be the one that changes everything.

In the closing minutes of the Season 3 finale, Bode joined his grandfather Walter (Jeff Fahey) on the frontlines of the Zabel Ridge wildfire — a move that set off a chain of tragic events. Vince (Billy Burke) and Sharon (Diane Farr) were trapped inside the Buena Vista care center when the roof collapsed, their fate left uncertain as the credits rolled.

What Can We Expect from ‘Fire Country’ Season 4?

With reports confirming Burke’s departure from the series, viewers are bracing for the possibility that Vince may not survive. If that’s the case, Bode will be left to navigate crushing guilt, especially after defying his father’s direct order to stay away. Speaking earlier this year, Thieriot didn’t sugarcoat the toll such a loss could take:

“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.”

The new season also marks a reset for the show, with Stephanie Arcila’s Gabriella departing as a series regular. For Bode, losing two major people in his life — one potentially to death — threatens to derail his hard-won redemption arc. Just as he began mending his fractured relationship with Vince, he may be forced to face the heartbreak of losing him forever. Still, Thieriot, who also serves as an executive producer, says the creative team isn’t shying away from shaking things up:

“There will be some pieces that need to be picked up. We’re motivated to continue pushing the show, pushing the envelope, and trying to sort of allow this world to evolve and come up with new ways to surprise the audience and to bring the audience compelling characters and storytelling.”