Warning! SPOILERS about Fire Country season 3, episode 15 ahead.

The mysterious illness affecting Three Rock’s inmates was finally revealed in death in Fire Country season 3, episode 13.

Much around Birch’s death in Fire Country season 3 seemed suspicious. From the speed with which Birch’s poisoning went from extremely serious to lethal to the investigation into his death bearing promises until Birch’s sister decided it was better to let the truth die with Birch, everything around the matter hid a secret that felt much bigger than just a difficult cold unexplainedly killing off Birch. Fire Country season 3 revealing that pesticide poisoning was behind the inmates’ illness made everything more complicated, until Eve carefully unmasked why they had fallen ill when she and the COs were all okay.

Oxalta's Reaction Sets Them Up As Fire Country's First Supervillains

Oxalta's Offensive Proved They Won't Stop Until They Quash Station 42 & Three Rock

Eve and Sharon realizing the land close to the well supplying Three Rock with tap water was being used by Oxalta, California’s biggest chemical corporation, made them immediately tread carefully. While Sharon was seemingly quiet in her search, only ing directly her friend in Oxalta’s board, the chemical corporation responded disproportionately by sending their attorney Bruce Meriwether, effectively stifling any cautious action by Sharon and stopping all communication about the matter between Oxalta and Three Rock and Station 42. Meriwether’s arrival exemplified Oxalta’s need to quash anyone trying to connect their business to Fire Country season 3’s Three Rock death.

While Edgewater’s residents were motivated by fear, making it easy for Three Rock’s inmates to change their minds, Oxalta immediately went on the offensive and doubled down in Fire Country season 3.

Three Rock’s existence wasn’t threatened for the first time in Fire Country season 3, with Three Rock first risking closure in season 2 after Edgewater’s residents campaigned against it and Luke Leone tried to close it down to save the other fire camps. However, while Edgewater’s residents were motivated by fear, making it easy for Three Rock’s inmates to change their minds, Oxalta immediately went on the offensive and doubled down in Fire Country season 3, showing they had no interest in helping out Three Rock or Station 42.

How Fire Country Season 4 Can Do Justice To Three Rock's Story

It Took Too Long For Oxalta's To Be Revealed For Fire Country Season 3 To End That Story

Birch’s illness and its aftermath not being solved quickly and Oxalta being revealed as the culprit only this late in Fire Country season 3, with two episodes before the finale, hint at Fire Country season 4 being about Cal Fire and Three Rock fighting the massive chemical corporation. Indeed, if Oxalta is as menacing as its behavior towards Sharon proved, it’s unlikely they will easily it wrongdoing against Three Rock’s inmates. Fire Country also established Station 42 and Three Rock as never backing down from a fight, making their confrontation of Oxalta something that will have to take time.

Considering the weapons Oxalta quickly released against Sharon and Three Rock, including convincing Birch’s sister not to go through with the investigation and offering a suspicious job to Violet, someone inexperienced and dangerously close to a Cal Fire captain, it’s clear Oxalta will stop at nothing. This hints at Fire Country season 4 necessarily showing Cal Fire and Three Rock mounting a fight against Oxalta, especially if the chemical corporation were to succeed in remaining unpunished by season 3’s ending.

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Fire Country season 3 returns to CBS at 9pm on Friday, April 4, 2025.