Fire Country season 4 episode 4 recap: Bode confesses, Audrey leaves and Richards names his successor

Fire Country season 4 episode 4 delivers another tense and emotional hour as the fallout from recent tragedies continues to shake Station 42. Titled “Like a Wounded Wildebeest,” the episode sees major changes within the team and explores Bode’s ongoing struggle with addiction, guilt and grief.

Battalion Chief Richards wraps up his time at the station, setting the stage for a leadership reshuffle that puts Manny in a crucial new role. Meanwhile, Bode faces serious consequences when his secret stash of pills is discovered, testing the fragile trust between him, Manny and Audrey.

As Audrey makes a difficult decision about her future, Bode’s support system continues to unravel just as new revelations surface about Vince’s death and the Zabel Ridge fire. 

Fire Country season 4 episode 4: Bode comes clean about his addiction, but faces another loss

The episode opens with Manny confronting Bode about the pills found in his locker. Audrey had told him, and Bode feels betrayed, lashing out at her. Manny decides to protect Bode, even if it means lying to Richards and insisting on a drug test.

The test comes back clean, but the trust is shaken. Bode later admits that he almost took a pill but spit it out. Manny sees that as a step forward and lets Bode flush the pills himself. Audrey, however, realizes she is struggling with her own sobriety.

She admits she is starting to slip since returning to Edgewater. Knowing how fragile she feels, Audrey decides to transfer to another station. She and Bode share an emotional goodbye, promising to find their way back to each other one day. Bode is left heartbroken but determined to stay clean as his world continues to shift around him.

Fire Country season 4 episode 4: Manny takes command as Richards exits Station 42

Richards finishes his time at Station 42, leaving behind a few important decisions. During a rescue at a farm, he watches Manny handle a tough situation as acting command. Manny manages Jake’s frustration and keeps Bode focused, finding a safe way to save two trapped farmers.

His calm under pressure impresses Richards, who later names Manny the new Battalion Chief. Jake, who has been chasing the position, accepts the outcome with surprising grace. He admits to Eve that the promotion had consumed him and that it is time to focus on leading his team.

Manny steps into his new role knowing it won’t be easy, especially with Bode’s instability and the tension still lingering within the crew. As Richards departs, Station 42 braces for new leadership and the challenges that come with it.

Other highlights from Fire Country season 4 episode 4

While Bode tries to move forward, new problems emerge. Jake and Eve find a mysterious note signed “R” in Vince’s guitar case. The message hints that Vince had a secret, possibly an affair, and warns that someone is coming after Sharon.

They choose to tell Bode, even though he is emotionally fragile. At the same time, Richards gives Sharon a warning before leaving town. Cal Fire’s investigation has revealed that the Zabel Ridge fire, the one that killed Vince, was caused by arson. Sharon is stunned and worried about how Bode will react.

The episode ends with Bode at the gym, pushing himself harder, unaware of the storm that is about to hit him. Between the arson news, Vince’s mysterious past, and Audrey’s departure, Station 42 is left facing emotional upheaval and unresolved secrets that could ignite even more trouble ahead.

Catch Fire Country on CBS on Fridays.