Fire Country Season 5 arrived on Friday, October 9, 2026, with a shorter 13-episode run and a new showrunner at the helm. The season opener, “Founders’ Day,” dropped a sinkhole under Main Street during Edgewater’s annual festival and set the tone for a season built around recovery, new faces, and one major crossover event with Sheriff Country.
The complete release schedule below covers every episode date, the midseason crossover, and the streaming options for viewers in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, India, and other regions. CBS airs new episodes weekly on Fridays at 9 PM ET/PT, and Paramount+ carries each episode for streaming subscribers.
Why Season 5 Has Only 13 Episodes
CBS renewed Fire Country for Season 5 in January 2026 with a reduced order of 13 episodes, down from the 20-episode seasons the show had produced for most of its run. The network made the same cut across several scripted series for the 2026–27 season, including Matlock and the NCIS spin-offs, as part of a strategy to fit more shows into the schedule.
“You know, 20 episodes, I won’t lie, is a lot. It’s taxing on everybody. The writers, the crew, the actors. So, I think it will be a blessing.”
— Max Thieriot, speaking to CinemaBlend in October 2026
The shorter season also coincides with a creative change behind the camera. Eric Guggenheim took over as showrunner from Tia Napolitano, who exited the series ahead of Season 5. Olivia Thirlby joined the cast as a new series regular, firefighter Cecilia Jade “CJ” Ryan, while Stephanie Arcila did not return as Gabriela Perez.
Full Episode Schedule for Fire Country Season 5
The schedule below lists every confirmed and expected air date for Fire Country Season 5 on CBS. All episodes air at 9 PM ET/PT on Fridays unless noted otherwise.
- Episode 1: “Founders’ Day” — Friday, October 9, 2026. A catastrophic sinkhole opens beneath Main Street during Edgewater’s Founders’ Day festival and traps residents underground. Station 42 launches a high-stakes rescue.
- Episode 2: “Fire Under Fire” — Friday, October 16, 2026. A fast-moving wildfire threatens Edgewater, and Station 42 and Three Rock battle dangerous conditions to contain the blaze. Bode works to connect with a newcomer carrying a complicated past.
- Episode 3: “What Needs to Be Done” — Friday, October 23, 2026. The season’s third episode features a performance from Grammy-nominated artist INK, who has written for Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar, according to CBS.
- Episode 4 — Friday, October 30, 2026. The episode title has not been confirmed by CBS at the time of writing.
- Episode 5: “No Way Out” — Friday, November 6, 2026. This is the second half of a two-hour crossover event with Sheriff Country. The story begins on Sheriff Country Season 2, Episode 5 (“No Way In”) at 8 PM ET/PT, then continues into Fire Country at 9 PM ET/PT. Escaped convicts trigger a manhunt, and Bode and the Station 42 crew join forces with Sheriff Mickey Fox and her deputies to protect Edgewater.
- Episode 6 — Friday, November 13, 2026 (expected).
- Episode 7 — Friday, November 20, 2026 (expected).
- Episode 8 — Friday, November 27, 2026 (expected). This date falls on the Friday after Thanksgiving in the USA, and CBS has not confirmed whether a new episode will air or a repeat will take the slot.
- Episode 9 — Friday, December 4, 2026 (expected).
- Episode 10 — Friday, December 11, 2026 (expected).
- Episode 11 — Friday, December 18, 2026 (expected).
- Episode 12 — Friday, December 25, 2026 (expected). This date falls on Christmas Day, and CBS has not confirmed whether a new episode will air on the holiday.
- Episode 13 (Season Finale) — Friday, January 1, 2027 (expected), or earlier in December 2026 if CBS schedules a holiday break. Reports indicate the season is expected to wrap up before the end of 2026 rather than return in the winter, but CBS has not locked a finale date.
Important scheduling note: CBS has not released official episode titles for episodes 6 through 13, and the dates listed as “expected” follow the show’s standard weekly Friday pattern. Holiday programming and CBS schedule changes could shift these dates. Viewers should check CBS.com or the Paramount+ episode guide for the most current listings.
The Sheriff Country Crossover Explained
The November 6, 2026 crossover is the second time Fire Country and Sheriff Country have joined forces. The two-hour event starts at 8 PM ET/PT with Sheriff Country Season 2, Episode 5, titled “No Way In.” The story follows a prison break that sends escaped convicts into Edgewater, forcing Mickey Fox to call on Bode and Station 42 for backup.
Morena Baccarin stars in Sheriff Country as Mickey Fox, with Matt Lauria as Nathan Boone. The crossover places both shows in the same Friday night block, with Sheriff Country leading into Fire Country and Boston Blue following at 10 PM ET/PT.
How to Watch Fire Country Season 5 in the USA and Canada
CBS broadcasts new episodes of Fire Country Season 5 on Fridays at 9 PM ET/PT. Viewers in the USA can watch live through a cable or satellite provider, a TV antenna, or a live TV streaming service that carries CBS.
Paramount+ carries every episode. Subscribers to the Paramount+ Premium plan can watch new episodes live as they air on CBS. Subscribers to the Paramount+ Essential plan can stream each episode on demand the day after it airs.
Canada follows the same Friday release pattern through CTV, with Paramount+ available in Canada for on-demand streaming.
How to Watch Fire Country Season 5 in the UK and Europe
Fire Country Season 5 does not have a same-day broadcast partner in the UK. Previous seasons arrived on Paramount+ UK and on Sky Witness, but the UK release for Season 5 has not been confirmed at the time of writing. Viewers in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and other European markets have accessed past seasons through Paramount+ and local broadcasters, and Season 5 is expected to follow a similar pattern.
How to Watch Fire Country Season 5 in India, Australia, and New Zealand
India does not have a confirmed same-day broadcaster for Fire Country Season 5. Past seasons have streamed on Paramount+ in India and have aired on select English entertainment channels. Australia has carried Fire Country through Paramount+ Australia and Channel 10 affiliates, and Season 5 is expected to arrive on Paramount+ in the region. New Zealand viewers have accessed the show through Paramount+ and TVNZ on-demand.
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What the First Two Episodes Set Up for the Rest of the Season
“Founders’ Day” put Bode Leone in the middle of a rescue that mirrored the show’s biggest disasters while introducing CJ Ryan as a firefighter with a different approach to the job. Manny Perez warned Eve Edwards not to trust the newcomer, adding tension to the Station 42 crew from the first episode.
“She’s a different firefighter than we’re used to. She’s a little bit of a fish out of water, which is kind of fun. But I think more than anything, why she is a key piece to the station is the approach that she brings to firefighting, the attitude that she brings.”
— Max Thieriot, speaking to TV Insider about Olivia Thirlby’s character CJ Ryan
“Fire Under Fire” followed with a wildfire threat that pushed Station 42 and Three Rock into dangerous conditions, while Bode worked to connect with the new arrival. The second episode confirmed that the season’s central tension runs through Bode’s effort to earn the community’s trust after the Pineville Dam flood that closed Season 4.
For weekly episode dates, crossover details, and streaming updates from the Fire Country universe, keep checking VvipTimes.
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