Last week on Chicago Fire, the CFD budget cuts began to hit close to home when Mouch and Engine 51 were unexpectedly pulled from duty due to the cutbacks. Angered by the decision, Chief Pascal took it upon himself to take things up the chain to fight for those under his command, knowing the financial hardships that being cut from the schedule so last-minute can cause for the firefighters.
Unfortunately, his search for answers resulted in more bad news as the Mayor's chief of staff revealed to Pascal that further cuts were coming. This time, the cuts were set to hit senior leaders with six battalion chiefs getting laid off. While Chief Pascal was not going to be impacted, it became clear to him that he’s going to need more help at the firehouse as he turned to Severide, paving the way for Severide to take on even more responsibility as a leader at 51.
Elsewhere, Violet helped a paramedic friend who was injured after falling asleep at the wheel due to exhaustion caused by working longer hours with the CFD cuts. We also learned a bit more about Vasquez’s mysterious past with the reveal that his father is behind bars with a hint that his father planted evidence, while Kidd continued to adjust to life as a foster mom.
Now that we’ve recapped where we left things, let’s take a look at what’s in store for fans tonight!
Yes, Chicago Fire is on tonight, October 22, 2025
First, let’s address the biggest question fans have every Wednesday: Is Chicago Fire on tonight? This week, the answer is thankfully yes, as season 14 continues with a brand-new episode. Fans can look forward to enjoying a new episode on Wednesday, October 22, marking the fourth consecutive week of new episodes since season 14 began on Oct. 1!
Chicago Fire season 14 episode 4's release time on NBC
Chicago Fire season 14, episode 4 will begin at 9 p.m. ET on NBC on Wednesday, October 22. As is always the case, the episode will be an hour long and will conclude at 10 p.m. ET.
Fans unable to watch the episode live via their local NBC affiliate can also enjoy the episode live on streaming via Peacock. The episode will also be available to stream the following day for those unable to watch live on Wednesday night.
What to expect in Chicago Fire season 14 episode 4
The fourth episode of Chicago Fire season 14 is going to be an emotional one. The synopsis for the episode teases that 51 will have to band together after a devastating fire and it seems likely the fire in question is the one connected to Herrmann. As we learn in the promo for the episode, a fire begins at Herrmann’s home while he’s on call and he fears the worst knowing his daughter, Annabelle, was at home.
Thankfully, it seems we don’t have to worry about anything happening to Annabelle, but it seems the fire will destroy Herrmann’s home. It only makes sense that the firehouse will then rally around him in the wake of the fire, which we anticipate might happen toward the end of the episode.
Elsewhere in the episode, we’re going to continue to peel the layers on Vasquez and get more insights into his complicated family dynamics as he continues his search for answers. After learning about his father, we’re curious to know whether he’s indeed a crooked cop or whether he was perhaps framed.
It also seems that our resident paramedics are about to have to overcome another obstacle, when Violet and Novak face an unexpected roadblock during the new training protocol.