why did billy burke leave fire country

Billy Burke left the TV show "Fire Country" because his character, Battalion Chief Vince Leone, was written off the series in a creative decision by the showrunners to reflect the real dangers firefighters face. The show implied Vince's death in the explosive fire that ended season 3, and this death was confirmed in the season 4 trailer. The decision was made to honor the authenticity of the job's dangers and to raise the stakes of the story. According to producers, it was a creative choice rather than due to budget or actor preference, and Burke did not publicly comment on the exit, which suggests it may have been unexpected for him. There are also reports that reducing episode commitments was a factor in the actors' departures. Overall, it was a combination of creative storytelling needs and possibly Burke's own career considerations. Thus, Billy Burke's exit from "Fire Country" was primarily a story-driven, creative decision to reflect the peril firefighters endure, culminating in his character's death shown at the end of season 3 and confirmed for season 4.