Firefighting drama Rescue Me has been renewed for a fourth season, US network FX announced Wednesday.

The early pickup - the third season is only halfway through its run - is for thirteen episodes, which will air mid-2007.

FX president John Landgraf said the series was a "key part of one of FX's stated goals, which is to foster some of the best episodic series on television".

The network recently announced a seventh - and final - season of The Shield and will premiere a fourth season of Nip/Tuck early next year.