'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The American action drama, Fire Country, premiered on the CBS Network on October 7, 2022. The show is about Bode Leone, a young convict who enrolls in a Northern Californian firefighting program for redemption and a lesser sentence for his crime. Bode, other convicts, and elite firefighters fight raging forest fires in and around Northern California.
Stephanie Arcila portrays Gabriela Perez, a former Olympic diver who has transitioned into a career as a firefighter and EMT. Working beside her dad, Manny Perez, she is involved in several storylines that relate to her professional and interpersonal relationships within the team.
In season 3, Gabriela's story took an abrupt turn after she was threatened by a stalker and left Station 42. Following these developments, Stephanie Arcila's exit from Fire Country was officially confirmed, leaving her character's future open for potential returns.
Trending
Gabriela's professional development and personal struggles in Fire Country
Gabriela Perez debuted on Fire Country as an ex-Olympic diver who made a career change by becoming a firefighter. She trained and worked closely with Station 42, particularly with her dad, Manny Perez, a firefighter.
Gabriela's professional development involved transitioning to paramedic duties, which enabled her to assume additional responsibilities during emergency calls. Her character interactions made a significant contribution to her development. Gabriela formed a romantic relationship with Bode Donovan, but it ended when Bode withdrew to focus on personal issues.
Gabriela then got engaged to fellow paramedic Diego Moreno. Unresolved feelings for Bode made it difficult for her to be engaged to Diego. Besides the romantic challenges, Gabriela also dealt with conflict and stress from being around her dad and from coping with the return of her mother, Roberta Perez, after a prolonged absence.
Gabriela and Finn's relationship and the stalking incident
In Fire Country season 3, Gabriela fell in love with the new character Finn. At first, Finn was friendly, but then his behaviour turned abusive. He sent messages to Gabriela obsessively and appeared at locations uninvited. The drama intensifies when Finn intentionally burns down his house so Gabriela can rescue him.
While responding to the emergency, Station 42 discovered a secret room inside Finn's basement full of unauthorized photos of Gabriela, which confirmed that he was stalking her. The plot gets more intense after Finn pretends to be injured so that he can be taken to the hospital with Gabriela by ambulance.
Finn threatened her at one point using a scalpel. Gabi escaped unscathed before Finn fled, and local authorities launched a manhunt. Finn was arrested off-screen after the manhunt. The stalking incident brought significant personal and professional stress to Gabriela, completely altering the way she felt regarding trust and security.
Events leading to Gabriela Perez's exit in season 3
The season 3 finale depicted Gabriela coping with the aftermath of what happened with Finn. While the show did not depict her departure from Station 42, the last scenes she featured in showed a change in her emotional state, where she turned to Bode for comfort. After the finale, it was revealed that Stephanie Arcila would no longer be a series regular within Fire Country.
In an interview with Deadline on April 25, 2025, Executive Producer Tony Phelan outlined the rationale for Gabriela's exit, saying:
"It was really a decision that came out of the dynamic between Bode and Gabriela; we felt like those two characters needed a reset. We love Stephanie, and we are committed to saying that the Bode-Gabriela story does not end here, it goes on."
The producers also indicated that Arcila would not remain a regular series character but that future guest appearances were possible based on how the story unfolds.
Future possibilities for Gabriela Perez in Fire Country
In another interview by Deadline on the same day, Stephanie Arcila responded to her exit, saying:
"I believe in fate and that we're put where we're supposed to be. And this is the nature of our business, right? So, I would never say never."
While she is no longer part of the main cast, Arcila and the producers have left the door open for her return to the show pending storyline progression.
Fans can stream episodes of Fire Country season 3 on CBS.
