Four volunteers from the Hawai'i chapter of the American Red Cross are scheduled to fly to San Diego today to join the Red Cross relief effort in response to the wildfires.

Esther Lau and Jerry Brown of O'ahu and Bob Hartman and Denn Ko of Maui will work at a shelter for people who have evacuated their homes, the Hawai'i chapter said yesterday.

Ko and Lau are nurses, Brown is a shelter manager and Hartman is trained in "mass care," or providing a variety of services for large groups, said Maria Lutz, Hawai'i Red Cross director of disaster services. They will be there at least two weeks, Lutz said.

They are part of a national network of Red Cross disaster volunteers who are trained to deploy to large relief operations for up to three week assignments.

Community members interested in becoming local or national disaster volunteers should contact their nearest Red Cross office. All Red Cross disaster training is open to the public and offered at no cost.