Everything to Know About Chicago Fire Season 12

The popular NBC drama Chicago Fire is having a fiery season 12.

The show was renewed a month before season 11 ended in May 2023, but the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes delayed production of the next season. Fans have been anxiously waiting to see what firefighters Kelly Severide, Randall “Mouch” McHolland and Sylvie Brett are up to, and they got these answers when the series returned in January 2024.

New seasons of Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med — which are also a part of Dick Wolf’s One Chicago franchise — are airing on NBC the same night.

Season 11 left a lot of questions for viewers. Severide, played by Taylor Kinney, was absent for the finale after taking a leave of absence from the show. Jesse Spencer returned to reprise his role as Captain Matt Casey in the same episode, in which multiple cliffhangers left fans wondering about the fates of their favorite characters in season 12.

From plot lines to cast changes, here is everything to know about Chicago Fire season 12.

What happened at the end of Chicago Fire season 11?

Season 11 of Chicago Fire brought changes to Firehouse 51, both in the work and personal lives of the firefighters. One major cliffhanger featured Mouch (Christian Stolte), who got struck by bullets during a call. He had to have emergency surgery, and the end of the episode didn’t reveal if he died or not.

Captain Casey reappeared after moving to Oregon to become the legal guardian of teenage sons whose father, a fellow Firehouse 51 firefighter and friend of Casey’s, died on the job.

His relationship with Brett (Kara Killmer) was unresolved at the beginning of season 11 as long-distance put a strain on the duo, and they eventually broke up. Casey, however, surprised Brett when he proposed to her during the season 11 finale.

In November 2023, PEOPLE confirmed that Killmer is exiting the show in season 12, though it is unclear how many episodes she will appear in. After seeing Casey’s cliffhanger proposal, fans have guessed that the pair and Brett’s new baby (who she adopted during season 11) may be moving west for good in season 12.

When was the Chicago Fire season 12 release date?

The first episode of Chicago Fire season 12 aired on Jan. 17, 2024, at 9 p.m. ET/PT — between two other shows in the One Chicago universe, Chicago Med and Chicago P.D.

Who is in the Chicago Fire season 12 cast?

Kinney, who has led the series since its premiere in 2012, took a leave of absence from the show “to deal with a personal matter,” a source close to the production told PEOPLE in January 2023. For the series’ sake, it was explained that the firefighter left to attend “the best arson investigation training program in the world.”

However, Severide didn’t return to Chicago after the program ended, which concerned his wife, Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo). The season 11 finale saw Kidd leave Chicago to find her husband and bring him home.

PEOPLE confirmed that Kinney would be back for season 12 in October 2023, but it was unknown how many episodes he would be in. The last time Severide appeared on the show was during episode 14 of season 11.

Other stars returning for season 12 are Miranda Rae Mayo, David Eigenberg, Hanako Greensmith, Joe Minoso and Eamonn Walker.

Firehouse 51 will have a new face, too: Rome Flynn of How to Get Away with Murder and With Love is joining the series in episode 2 of season 12, per Deadline.

Which stars are leaving Chicago Fire in season 12?

The Chicago Fire fandom lost two of its favorite characters in season 12. PEOPLE confirmed Killmer’s planned departure in November 2023, and Alberto Rosende, who plays Blake Gallo, announced his exit from the series the following month.

“When I decided to end my time with Chicago, it wasn’t easy,” he wrote on his Instagram Stories, per Deadline. “The people I’ve met were truly special, the friendships I’ve made will last a lifetime, and the story I got to tell was one that made me proud.”

He added, “Can’t wait to see what else is in store and I wish everyone the best in shooting the rest of the season.”

Rosende’s final appearance on the show is in the season 12 premiere.