Fire Country roars back to life in February 2024: Everything to know about season 2

Fire Country season 2‘s premiere is only three months away! CBS was the first network out the gate with a midseason schedule made ready for fans, and it didn’t disappoint. All of their scripted programming is coming back in February, which means we’ll be returned to adventures with Bode and the crew on Friday, Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. ET.

When the writers strike ended, Fire Country was one of the first series to open their writers room the week of Oct. 2, 2023. Deadline even caught up with the writers on their first day back, we’ll be sharing a teaser from showrunner Tia Napolitano later in this article but first let’s start with a season 1 finale refresher and how it’ll connect to the second season.

In “I Know It Feels Impossible,” Bode was up for parole but by the end of the episode he was denied release because he confessed that he was the one operating a drug operation out of Three Rock fire camp. He did this because he was coerced.

Mel, a lawyer who works in the state’s attorney office, informed him that either he took responsibility for the crime or his friend Freddy’s case would continue to be forcibly back logged and he wouldn’t be released from prison despite being an innocent man. She pushed because her office had evidence proving it was Bode even though we fans know it was actually his former prison buddy turned nemesis Sleeper who framed him.

So Bode took the fall, Freddy was released from prison, and a portion of the season 2 plot is going to be focused on how to get our leading man back from behind bars and out in the field with his Cal Fire family once more.

Considering we also found out Bode’s ex-girlfriend, Cara, has a preteen daughter named Genevieve who is under the impression they’re sisters and Bode could be the father, we’re anxiously awaiting Fire Country season 2. Here’s what more we know about the season!

Is Fire Country season 2 filming?

Yes! Filming has started on the hit show's second season. As expected, the week of Dec. 11, the cast and crew of Fire Country commenced production. They took to Instagram to share their excitement and you're going to want to be paying close attention to their social media channels during their production window because they're sure to be teasing what's to come for the February premiere. As Hidden Remote previously reported, filming is set to run through April 4, 2024 to ensure a May season finale.

Cast

The first cast addition has been announced! TVLine reports Rafael de la Fuente (Dynasty) has joined the series as a character named Diego. The actor will guest star in three episodes early on in the season and could stay on for more.

Described as "a charming and motivated paramedic/firefighter and combat vet who served in Afghanistan," Diego will be spending his work time with Gabriela Perez. He'll be training her for her paramedic certification.

The pair are said to have an "easy camaraderie," however, Diego is going to be pushing Gabi to go past her limits. Considering she's an all or nothing kind of person, something tells me that could become a problem at some point down the line.

There are a few faces that we can expect to see return in Fire Country season 2. There are some who we think will likely come back, too. While CBS hasn’t dropped the full cast list, here is a breakdown of the Fire Country cast members we’re expecting to see back in the show’s second season:

• Max Thieriot as Bode Donovan
• Billy Burke as Vince Leone
• Kevin Alejandro as Manny Perez
• Diane Farr as Sharon Leone
• Stephanie Arcila as Gabriella Perez
• Jordan Calloway as Jake Crawford
• Jules Latimer as Eve Edwards
• W. Tré Davis as Freddy
• Sabina Gadecki as Cara
• Rafael de la Fuente as Diego
• Tye White as Cole
• Jason O’Mara as Liam

We do expect to see Rebecca Mader back as Faye and Kanoa Goo return as Kyle. If Faye sticks around we’re likely to get more stories about Nozzle, the private firefighting company that intrigued Manny in the first season as the business has a bigger payout even if their skills left much to be desired.

If you’re a fan of Bode and Gabriela, Kyle isn’t likely to get in the way of the pairing even though the two are on the outs thanks to Bode emotionally pushing Gabriela away when he was sent back to jail. Stephanie Arcila said, “I don’t think she would jump into something right away,” when asked about where she believes her character is romantically.

However, if Kyle is going to spend more time in Edgewater, they could flirt with the idea of the two friends at least having some kind of connection while Bode’s in prison or even when he eventually does get out considering Cara’s secret about Genevieve is a shoe waiting to fall.

Another actor we’re likely to see again is Michael Trucco as Luke Leone. He ended the season with the introduced plot of being a donor match with Sharon. Hopefully she finally receives the kidney she needs, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if there are complications.

Season 2 plot

As you can see in the sneak peek above, season 2 takes place six months after the season 1 finale. Bode's situation has not improved and he's pushing the people in his life away from him. The season opener, "Something's Coming," has the following summary:

"Bode is back in prison where he receives some shocking news. Meanwhile, the station 42 crew responds to a massive earthquake that rocks Edgewater to its core."

The second season plot hasn’t been confirmed yet. However, we can expect Bode’s time in prison will have a focus along with Freddy doing his best to get his friend out of jail. One thing that had our alarm bells ringing was Napolitano teasing the following in the Deadline interview with the writers:

"My goal is to, the first time we see each and every character, the audience will gasp and be shocked, everyone’s story will be very, very surprising from the moment you see them."

There’s so many directions they could possibly go if the goal is to be shocking. For instance, Bode is an addict. He’d made his way through recovery and didn’t relapse while at Three Rock when Sleeper was pushing drugs through the camp. However, he’d had a support system then, the possibility of making parole, the promise of a relationship with Gabriela, and a place at Cal Fire station 42 waiting for him.

By the end of the season 1 finale, Bode is alone, back in prison (likely in the same one with Sleeper), and his parents think he screwed up again just as his bright future was in his grasp. That’s a lot to carry and could lead to him relapsing. Someone who understands addiction is Manny, his Three Rock captain who has struggled with alcohol and gambling. He’d be the one who’d help Bode in that situation as he’s the only character who has dealt with substance abuse.

Another shocking plot could involve Vince and Sharon. The unshakeable couple are married goals and their bond has weathered a lot, but Sharon taking space from Bode instead of pulling strings to get him out of jail like Vince suggested could lead to problems even as she’s dealing with her kidney disease. We could find them on the rocks.

As we move closer to 2024 and Fire Country‘s return in February, we’ll have a clearer picture of what to expect especially when episode titles are teased, the actors are on set, and promotional material starts rolling in. Currently, a confirmed episode count hasn’t been revealed but, it’s expected to be 10-13 episodes, and the season finale will air in May. We’ll update this post when we know more. Stay tuned to Hidden Remote!

A Hidden Remote editor contributed to this article.

Fire Country is available to stream on Paramount+.