Tia Napolitano is set to depart her position as the showrunner of CBS’s acclaimed drama Fire Country after its fourth season concludes. Once she steps down, Napolitano plans to concentrate on new development projects under her existing overall agreement with CBS Studios, the production company behind the series. The network will soon initiate the search for her successor.

Napolitano joined Fire Country right after the pilot episode, taking on the roles of executive producer and showrunner. The series was conceived by actor Max Thieriot along with writers Tony Phelan and Joan Rater. Since its inception, Napolitano has been a guiding force behind the firefighter drama’s success on CBS.

The show quickly gained traction upon its debut in the 2022–2023 season, emerging as the most-watched new series of the year. CBS executives promptly recognized its potential as a franchise cornerstone.

Currently in its fourth season, the series continues to captivate audiences, securing a strong Friday-night viewership with an average of 8.1 million Live+35 multi-platform viewers. Its popularity has already led to the creation of a spinoff, Sheriff Country, which is on track to match the success of Fire Country as the top freshman series of its season.

“Tia has played a crucial role in shaping and directing Fire Country, which not only became a leading series but also serves as the foundation for an expanding universe,” remarked Amy Reisenbach, President of CBS Entertainment, and David Stapf, President of CBS Studios, in a joint statement. “We are thankful for her dedication and hard work, and we are excited to partner with her on future endeavors.”

Napolitano’s journey with the creative team goes back years. Her first television job was as a writers assistant for Grey’s Anatomy showrunners Phelan and Rater, and she was approached for the Fire Country showrunner role early in development—before the pilot was officially ordered to series. During her tenure, she steered the show through major challenges, including the writers strike, the L.A. fires, and the recent exits of original cast members Billy Burke and Stephanie Arcila at the end of last season.

“I am beyond proud of the past four seasons of Fire Country,” Napolitano said. “All of my gratitude to our cast, crew, writers, producers, fans, and of course CBS and CBS Studios. It’s been a beautiful ride!”

Before Fire Country, Napolitano served as executive producer and showrunner on Freeform’s Cruel Summer. Her additional writing and producing credits include Grey’s Anatomy and its spinoff Station 19.

Fire Country Season 4 returns with new episodes on February 27.