Expect to see Denis Leary fighting fires, boozing and talking to dead people for at least another season. FX is prepared to give the firefighting dramedy "Rescue Me" a second installment.

FX is looking for at least 13 more episodes of the series, which comes from executive producers Leary, Peter Tolan and Jim Serpico and Sony Pictures TV.

"We couldn't be more excited about receiving the green light for a second season," says Russ Krasnoff, president of programming and production at SPT. "Denis and Peter have consistently delivered a fresh point of view and a show that is gaining momentum with viewers."

FX's burst of confidence in the series comes as the critically admired "Rescue Me" is still completing production on its first season. In addition to first-run episodes on Wednesday nights, FX has been airing the series four other times a week and the first five episodes are cumulatively averaging 9.5 million viewers. The Wednesday night airings of "Rescue Me" are pulling in 2 million viewers in the adult 18-49 demographic, better than any other new basic cable show.

"Everyone at FX is extremely proud of 'Rescue Me,'" FX Entertainment President John Landgraf says. "The show's quality has been borne out by extraordinary critical praise and excellent ratings."

Production on the second season of "Rescue Me" probably wouldn't begin until the middle of 2005.