Why Did Stephanie Arcila Leave the Hit CBS Series ‘Fire Country'?

Fans of the CBS drama series Fire Country are still trying to collect themselves after the shocking and sudden departure of two of the show’s major characters. The shakeup has left viewers questioning why, and the thought process behind saying goodbye to star Stephanie Arcila has been revealed.

Stephanie portrayed firefighter and paramedic Gabriela Perez since the Fire Country premiered back in October 2022. The character is also the daughter of Capt. Manny Perez.

In an exclusive interview with TVLine, Stephanie discussed the shocking departure of her character Gabriela as a series regular.

“I think that’s a question for [showrunner] Tia [Napolitano] and the executive producers,” Stephanie said when asked if she had any reason for her character leaving the show. “They’ve said that it’s a creative decision on their end, so I don’t know, but this is the business that we’re in.”

“The writers always surprise me, and I’m looking forward to what they’ll write and how they’ll justify this journey,” she continued. “Every show needs some type of shocking aspect, and I guess this is it, right?”

When informed that Fire Country co-creator Joan Rater said that she hopes to bring Gabriela back in a “satisfying and beautiful way,” Stephanie shared her intrigue.

“You know, I never say never, and I believe that,” she told TVLine. “Having this news come out has really shown me how people feel about Gabriella, and I had no idea. And it’s been so heartwarming to have all of that support.

“Like, I’ve seen it happen on other shows, I’ve seen fans go nuts and I just never thought I’d be in that position, but it feels so good that all of the hard work that I’ve put into this character has translated into so much love for the fans. They are the reason we are on air, for them, because of them,” she said.

“I’m good. I’m happy. I’m grateful for the opportunity I was given, which was the gift of Gabriela,” she told the outlet. “It completely changed my life, in all the ways. I don’t know if a lot of people know, but I was bartending right before Fire Country. I was between jobs and this was the job that ended that journey for me.”

“It’s opened more doors up for me, and it’s made it easier to be seen and have other jobs,” Stephanie said. “I’m just eternally grateful and honored to be a part of — unfortunately and fortunately, right — the 3 percent that Latinas represent in Hollywood. We gotta get those numbers up, but I wear it with so much honor to be able to represent.”

The Season 3 finale of Fire Country aired on April 25, and fans can now look forward to what’s in store for the show’s fourth season. Seasons 1–3 of Fire Country are all available to stream on Paramount Plus.