Posted in: CBS, TV | Tagged: fire country

Fire Country: Olivia Thirlby Joins Season 5 Cast as New Series Regular

CBS's Max Thieriot-starring Fire Country has reportedly cast Olivia Thirlby (Wonder Man) in the series regular role of CJ, a new firefighter.

Published Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:32:08 -0500

by Ray Flook

Comments

Article Summary

Fire Country Season 5 adds Olivia Thirlby as series regular CJ, a decorated urban firefighter new to Edgewater.
CJ arrives in Fire Country with a mysterious past, culture shock, and a path that quickly crosses with Bode.
Max Thieriot says Fire Country Season 5 will be a reset, giving Bode a chance to earn trust and move forward.
Season 5 will explore new Station 42 dynamics, deeper camaraderie, and major emotional arcs for the Fire Country team.

With production now underway, CBS's Max Thieriot-starring and executive-producing Fire Country has some new faces joining the team heading into the fifth season. Along with Eric Guggenheim, set as executive producer and showrunner, Deadline Hollywood is reporting that Olivia Thirlby (Y: The Last Man, Wonder Man) has joined the cast in the series regular role of CJ, a new firefighter.

Thirlby will play Cecilia Jade "CJ" Ryan, described as "a quick-witted, fiercely independent, blue-collar, decorated urban firefighter who bolted her station house and city for mysterious reasons. After six months on the road, trying to outrun whatever happened and herself, fate strands her in Edgewater, where she crosses paths with Bode. Despite having no experience fighting woodland fires, Bode believes CJ has something to offer Station 42. And despite the serious culture shock, this fish out of water comes to believe rural Edgewater has something to offer her."

Fire Country Season 5: Max Thieriot Teases New Season Being a "Reset"

By the time the final credits rolled on the Season 4 finale, things were looking… hopeful and happy?!? Aside from some drama involving the wedding rings that led to a very heartfelt moment for Bode (Thieriot), Jake (Jordan Calloway), and Violet (Nesta Cooper) tied the knot in an amazing way, ending the season. Even Bode found himself in a good place, developing stronger ties with Sharon (Diane Farr) and taking a huge relationship step with Chloe (Alona Tal). But since that wasn't (thankfully) the series finale, Fire Country finds itself in a unique position to reinvent itself in several ways. Recently, Thieriot addressed that very topic, noting that the Season 4 finale helped set things in motion.

Thieriot on Season 5 Needing a "Reset": "With this new reset, it was important for Bode to close certain chapters and move forward. Things are good for him, and I think it allows Bode the opportunity to take those steps and become the firefighter he's potentially destined to be. And even though he's trying to fill the shoes of his late dad, they're two different men. Vince had the respect of Edgewater, while Bode burned bridges when he left. I think he has to earn everybody's trust now and have this journey to become that guy," Thieriot shared.

"I'm excited to see what evolution those at Station 42 will embark on. It's not just a new chief coming in – it's seeing a lot of the camaraderie we don't always get in the station, including how the firefighters live together in a fun way," he noted. "We're just looking at everyone who's looking at the next stages in their lives, and there are a lot of really cool and exciting stories for each character. There are some emotional arcs this coming season, and I can't wait for it."

Fire Country: Olivia Thirlby Joins Season 5 Cast as New Series Regular — Photo: Sergei Bachlakov/CBS ©2026 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

CBS's Fire Country stars Max Thieriot (SEAL Team) as Bode Leone, a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining a prison release firefighting program in Northern California, where he and other inmates are partnered with elite firefighters to extinguish massive, unpredictable wildfires across the region. It's a high-risk, high-reward assignment, and the heat is turned up when Bode is assigned to the program in his rural hometown, where he was once a golden all-American son until his troubles began. Years ago, Bode burned down everything in his life, leaving town with a big secret. Now he's back, with the rap sheet of a criminal and the audacity to believe in a chance for redemption with Cal Fire.

Inspired by Thieriot's experiences growing up in Northern California fire country and produced by CBS Studios, CBS's Fire Country also stars Billy Burke (Vince), Kevin Alejandro (Manny), Diane Farr (Sharon), Stephanie Arcila (Gabriela), Jordan Calloway (Jake), and Jules Latimer (Eve). Tony Phelan, Joan Rater, Tia Napolitano, Bill Harper, Max Thieriot, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Kristie Anne Reed serve as executive producers.