CBS Pulls ‘Fire Country’ Rerun Amid Southern California Wildfires

CBS has pulled a scheduled rerun of its firefighter drama ‘Fire Country‘ out of sensitivity to the ongoing devastation caused by wildfires in Southern California. The decision, announced on January 8, 2025, comes as tens of thousands of residents in the Los Angeles area grapple with the aftermath of the massive fires that began on January 7.

The network stated that the episode, which focuses on firefighting efforts in Northern California, would have hit too close to home given the current crisis. Instead, CBS will air a rerun of ‘NCIS: Sydney’ in the 9 p.m. slot on January 10, followed by an encore of ‘S.W.A.T.’ at 10 p.m. The network’s Friday lineup will now feature two episodes of ‘NCIS: Sydney’ at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.

‘Fire Country,’ inspired by star Max Thieriot‘s experiences during the 2017 North Bay firestorm, follows a young convict seeking redemption by joining a prison release firefighting program. The show, which films primarily in Vancouver, British Columbia, is not expected to face production delays due to the Southern California fires.

Other networks, including NBC and ABC, have not announced changes to their schedules. NBC’s ‘Chicago Fire‘ will air a new episode as planned, while ABC’s ‘9-1-1,’ set in Los Angeles, remains on hiatus until March.

The wildfires, which have displaced thousands and caused widespread destruction, are being fought by first responders working around the clock. CBS’s decision to pull ‘Fire Country’ reflects the gravity of the situation and the network’s respect for those affected.

New episodes of ‘Fire Country’ are still scheduled to return on January 31, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can stream previous episodes on Paramount+ in the meantime.