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Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus on trip to California to support wildfire containment efforts

Wildfires burn along the New York and New Jersey border in Greenwood Lake, New York, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP
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FR171643 AP
Wildfires burn along the New York and New Jersey border in Greenwood Lake, New York, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

As fires continue to rip through parts of California, Orange County, New York Executive Steve Neuhaus is reflecting on what he saw there. Neuhaus went west with his naval unit to support containment efforts. It comes just months after his county had its own battle with wildfire. The Jennings Creek wildfire spread for 14 days, burning more than 5,300 acres in New York and New Jersey and killing one person. The fires in California destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 25 people. WAMC's Samantha Simmons spoke with Neuhaus, a Commander with the New York Naval Militia’s Northern Command, this week about his experience.

 

Samantha joined the WAMC staff in 2023 after graduating from the University at Albany. She covers the City of Troy and Rensselaer County at large. Outside of reporting, she host's WAMC's Weekend Edition and Midday Magazine.

She can be reached by phone at (518)-465-5233 Ext. 211 or by email at ssimmons@wamc.org.