The Series Hits an Early Mid-Season Break

Fans who tuned in this Wednesday expecting a new episode of Chicago Fire were met with a surprise: the show is officially on mid-season hiatus. The November 12, 2025 episode served as the Season 14 fall finale, marking the early end of the show’s 2025 run.

Chicago Fire will return with its winter premiere on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, immediately following the Chicago Med mid-season return. New episodes will pick up right where things left off, after Severide and Van Meter’s arson investigation turned deadly.

NBC’s holiday programming will now take over Wednesday nights. On November 19, the network airs a special broadcast of Wicked, followed by holiday movies, event specials, and seasonal lineups through December.

Why the Mid-Season Pause Happened

One Chicago shows usually run into late November or early December. This year, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago P.D. all went dark sooner than expected. NBC made room for holiday content and live seasonal events, which historically perform well for the network.

The hiatus arrives at a tense moment for Firehouse 51, leaving two major cliffhangers in play and viewers with months to speculate.

A Fall Finale Packed With Cliffhangers

The final episode before the break delivered one of the season’s most intense hours. Firehouse 51 responded to a weekend blaze inside a high school. Though the building was empty, Severide suspected the fire was deliberately set.

Investigators found gasoline traces on a burned coffee maker linked to a smart plug—meaning the fire was ignited remotely. The intended target appeared to be the school principal, who students accused of abuse in a troubling online forum.

Severide and Van Meter rushed to warn him at his apartment. But as they spoke upstairs, a hooded figure entered, lit a fire in the lobby, and escaped. The episode ended with flames cutting off every exit, trapping Severide, Van Meter, and the principal inside.

Engine 51 at Risk — Is This the End for Mouch?

A second storyline delivered a different kind of danger. Facing city budget reallocation, Engine 51 was listed for potential decommissioning, putting Randall “Mouch” McHolland’s future in jeopardy. If the rig is eliminated, Mouch could be reassigned, retired, or forced out.

Fans now wait to see if Firehouse 51 can survive both threats: a fire that could take lives and a budget cut that could dismantle the team.

Chicago Fire returns January 7, 2026, on NBC, with episodes streaming on Peacock.