{"id":2241,"date":"2026-08-13T05:09:28","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T05:09:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241"},"modified":"2026-08-13T05:09:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T05:09:28","slug":"two-soldiers-killed-in-apache-helicopter-crash-wildfire-forces-evacuations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241","title":{"rendered":"Two Soldiers Killed In Apache Helicopter Crash, Wildfire Forces Evacuations"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

Two U.S. soldiers were killed Wednesday when an Army Apache attack helicopter crashed in a field near Fort Hood, Texas, sparking a wildfire that forced nearby homes to evacuate.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Troy Jackson Admits To Assault After Police Report Surfaces<\/a><\/p>\n

The Fort Hood-based AH-64 Apache was on a routine training flight when it crashed near Salado, about 50 miles north of Austin, shortly after 1:30 p.m. local time, according to the Bell County Sheriff\u2019s Office.<\/span><\/p>\n

Emergency responders received multiple 911 calls reporting the crash and a large fire. When deputies arrived, they found the wreckage and what officials initially described as an uncontrolled blaze. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou could tell it was a violent crash,\u201d Bell County Sheriff\u2019s Office spokesman Cliff Coleman said during a news conference Wednesday.<\/span><\/p>\n

The two soldiers aboard the helicopter were pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities are being withheld until their families have been notified.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and fellow Troopers of those involved during this incredibly difficult time,\u201d Brigadier General Ethan Diven, acting commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division, said in a statement.<\/span><\/p>\n

The crash did not injure anyone on the ground, and no buildings or other structures were damaged, officials said. <\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Red State Comes To Rescue Of Surrogate Mom Facing Pressure To Kill Baby<\/a><\/p>\n

It nevertheless ignited a significant grass fire, which grew to roughly 155 acres and prompted evacuations. By Wednesday evening, the blaze was about 85% contained, according to local reporting. Emergency crews from multiple fire departments responded to the scene as<\/span> officials urged residents to avoid the area.<\/span><\/p>\n

The AH-64E Apache is a two-seat Army attack helicopter used for <\/span>armed reconnaissance, close combat, mobile strikes and other missions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fort Hood\u2019s Criminal Investigation Division is leading the investigation into the crash. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts,\u201d Diven said. \u201cOur thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott also offered condolences to the soldiers\u2019 families and the Fort Hood community. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoin Cecilia and me in prayer for their families and the entire Fort Hood community,\u201d Abbott wrote on <\/span>X<\/span>. \u201cTexas is forever indebted to those who serve our state and nation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Red State Comes To Rescue Of Surrogate Mom Facing Pressure To Kill Baby<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Two U.S. soldiers were killed Wednesday when an Army Apache attack helicopter crashed in a field near Fort Hood, Texas, sparking a wildfire that forced nearby homes to evacuate.\u00a0\u00a0The Fort Hood-based AH-64 Apache was on a routine training flight when it crashed near Salado, about 50 miles north of Austin, shortly after 1:30 p.m. local time, according to the Bell County Sheriff\u2019s Office.Emergency responders received multiple 911 calls reporting the crash and a large fire. When deputies arrived, they found the wreckage and what officials initially described as an uncontrolled blaze. \u201cYou could tell it was a violent crash,\u201d Bell County Sheriff\u2019s Office spokesman Cliff Coleman said during a news conference Wednesday.The two soldiers aboard the helicopter were pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities are being withheld until their families have been notified.\u201cOur thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and fellow Troopers of those involved during this incredibly difficult time,\u201d Brigadier General Ethan Diven, acting commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division, said in a statement.The crash did not injure anyone on the ground, and no buildings or other structures were damaged, officials said. It nevertheless ignited a significant grass fire, which grew to roughly 155 acres and prompted evacuations. By Wednesday evening, the blaze was about 85% contained, according to local reporting. Emergency crews from multiple fire departments responded to the scene as officials urged residents to avoid the area.The AH-64E Apache is a two-seat Army attack helicopter used for armed reconnaissance, close combat, mobile strikes and other missions.\u00a0Fort Hood\u2019s Criminal Investigation Division is leading the investigation into the crash. \u201cOur immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts,\u201d Diven said. \u201cOur thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information.\u201dTexas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott also offered condolences to the soldiers\u2019 families and the Fort Hood community. \u201cJoin Cecilia and me in prayer for their families and the entire Fort Hood community,\u201d Abbott wrote on X. \u201cTexas is forever indebted to those who serve our state and nation.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2240,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-2"],"yoast_head":"\nTwo Soldiers Killed In Apache Helicopter Crash, Wildfire Forces Evacuations - Blue Route Journal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Two Soldiers Killed In Apache Helicopter Crash, Wildfire Forces Evacuations - Blue Route Journal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Two U.S. soldiers were killed Wednesday when an Army Apache attack helicopter crashed in a field near Fort Hood, Texas, sparking a wildfire that forced nearby homes to evacuate.\u00a0\u00a0The Fort Hood-based AH-64 Apache was on a routine training flight when it crashed near Salado, about 50 miles north of Austin, shortly after 1:30 p.m. local time, according to the Bell County Sheriff\u2019s Office.Emergency responders received multiple 911 calls reporting the crash and a large fire. When deputies arrived, they found the wreckage and what officials initially described as an uncontrolled blaze. \u201cYou could tell it was a violent crash,\u201d Bell County Sheriff\u2019s Office spokesman Cliff Coleman said during a news conference Wednesday.The two soldiers aboard the helicopter were pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities are being withheld until their families have been notified.\u201cOur thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and fellow Troopers of those involved during this incredibly difficult time,\u201d Brigadier General Ethan Diven, acting commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division, said in a statement.The crash did not injure anyone on the ground, and no buildings or other structures were damaged, officials said. It nevertheless ignited a significant grass fire, which grew to roughly 155 acres and prompted evacuations. By Wednesday evening, the blaze was about 85% contained, according to local reporting. Emergency crews from multiple fire departments responded to the scene as officials urged residents to avoid the area.The AH-64E Apache is a two-seat Army attack helicopter used for armed reconnaissance, close combat, mobile strikes and other missions.\u00a0Fort Hood\u2019s Criminal Investigation Division is leading the investigation into the crash. \u201cOur immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts,\u201d Diven said. \u201cOur thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information.\u201dTexas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott also offered condolences to the soldiers\u2019 families and the Fort Hood community. \u201cJoin Cecilia and me in prayer for their families and the entire Fort Hood community,\u201d Abbott wrote on X. \u201cTexas is forever indebted to those who serve our state and nation.\u201d\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Blue Route Journal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-13T05:09:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2241#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2241\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/19da116f8d79cf8987781569801c6b7c\"},\"headline\":\"Two Soldiers Killed In Apache Helicopter Crash, Wildfire Forces Evacuations\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-13T05:09:28+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2241\"},\"wordCount\":401,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2241#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/7814cc78b1a9adbb2ffda0e61c3c0099.avif\",\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2241#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2241\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2241\",\"name\":\"Two Soldiers Killed In Apache Helicopter Crash, Wildfire Forces Evacuations - Blue Route Journal\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2241#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2241#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/7814cc78b1a9adbb2ffda0e61c3c0099.avif\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-13T05:09:28+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/19da116f8d79cf8987781569801c6b7c\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2241#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2241\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2241#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/7814cc78b1a9adbb2ffda0e61c3c0099.avif\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/7814cc78b1a9adbb2ffda0e61c3c0099.avif\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":675},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?p=2241#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Two Soldiers Killed In Apache Helicopter Crash, Wildfire Forces Evacuations\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Blue Route Journal\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/19da116f8d79cf8987781569801c6b7c\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blueroutejournal.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Two Soldiers Killed In Apache Helicopter Crash, Wildfire Forces Evacuations - Blue Route Journal","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Two Soldiers Killed In Apache Helicopter Crash, Wildfire Forces Evacuations - Blue Route Journal","og_description":"Two U.S. soldiers were killed Wednesday when an Army Apache attack helicopter crashed in a field near Fort Hood, Texas, sparking a wildfire that forced nearby homes to evacuate.\u00a0\u00a0The Fort Hood-based AH-64 Apache was on a routine training flight when it crashed near Salado, about 50 miles north of Austin, shortly after 1:30 p.m. local time, according to the Bell County Sheriff\u2019s Office.Emergency responders received multiple 911 calls reporting the crash and a large fire. When deputies arrived, they found the wreckage and what officials initially described as an uncontrolled blaze. \u201cYou could tell it was a violent crash,\u201d Bell County Sheriff\u2019s Office spokesman Cliff Coleman said during a news conference Wednesday.The two soldiers aboard the helicopter were pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities are being withheld until their families have been notified.\u201cOur thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and fellow Troopers of those involved during this incredibly difficult time,\u201d Brigadier General Ethan Diven, acting commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division, said in a statement.The crash did not injure anyone on the ground, and no buildings or other structures were damaged, officials said. It nevertheless ignited a significant grass fire, which grew to roughly 155 acres and prompted evacuations. By Wednesday evening, the blaze was about 85% contained, according to local reporting. Emergency crews from multiple fire departments responded to the scene as officials urged residents to avoid the area.The AH-64E Apache is a two-seat Army attack helicopter used for armed reconnaissance, close combat, mobile strikes and other missions.\u00a0Fort Hood\u2019s Criminal Investigation Division is leading the investigation into the crash. \u201cOur immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts,\u201d Diven said. \u201cOur thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information.\u201dTexas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott also offered condolences to the soldiers\u2019 families and the Fort Hood community. \u201cJoin Cecilia and me in prayer for their families and the entire Fort Hood community,\u201d Abbott wrote on X. \u201cTexas is forever indebted to those who serve our state and nation.\u201d","og_url":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241","og_site_name":"Blue Route Journal","article_published_time":"2026-08-13T05:09:28+00:00","author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/#\/schema\/person\/19da116f8d79cf8987781569801c6b7c"},"headline":"Two Soldiers Killed In Apache Helicopter Crash, Wildfire Forces Evacuations","datePublished":"2026-08-13T05:09:28+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241"},"wordCount":401,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/7814cc78b1a9adbb2ffda0e61c3c0099.avif","articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241","url":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241","name":"Two Soldiers Killed In Apache Helicopter Crash, Wildfire Forces Evacuations - Blue Route Journal","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/7814cc78b1a9adbb2ffda0e61c3c0099.avif","datePublished":"2026-08-13T05:09:28+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/#\/schema\/person\/19da116f8d79cf8987781569801c6b7c"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/7814cc78b1a9adbb2ffda0e61c3c0099.avif","contentUrl":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/7814cc78b1a9adbb2ffda0e61c3c0099.avif","width":1200,"height":675},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?p=2241#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Two Soldiers Killed In Apache Helicopter Crash, Wildfire Forces Evacuations"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/","name":"Blue Route Journal","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/#\/schema\/person\/19da116f8d79cf8987781569801c6b7c","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/blueroutejournal.com"],"url":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2241","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2241"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2241\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2240"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2241"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2241"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blueroutejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2241"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}