Hawaii wildfires: 6 Central Florida Red Cross volunteers on their way to help

ORLANDO, Fla. — Six volunteers from the Central Florida Red Cross are on their way to Hawaii to help with the ongoing response to the Hawaii wildfires.

The Red Cross said hundreds of homes and businesses are destroyed, thousands are without power, and all phone and cell services are down in the area.

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Officials said Red Cross disaster workers are opening shelters on two islands where thousands of people are seeking shelter from the fires.

Early Friday morning, six Central Florida volunteers boarded flights to help support efforts for at least three weeks:

Photos: Hawaii wildfires

Robert Jaquet, Roger Ocampo and Erica Santella from the Mid-FL Chapter (Winter Haven)
Kathy Burkett from the Greater Orlando Chapter
Dolores Pastrana from the Southwest Florida Chapter (Sarasota)
Gary Potts from the Greater Tampa Bay Chapter

Read: Hawaii wildfires: Death toll climbs as search for survivors continues

The American Red Cross of Central Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands said they are ready to deploy more disaster-trained workers as needed.

People who need assistance locating a missing loved one due to the current disaster, can call 1-800 RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) and select Option 4. Follow the voice prompts for “Hawaii Wildfires.” Please note call volume is high and callers may experience longer wait times.

Read: Fast-moving Hawaii fires will take a heavy toll on the state’s environment

People can help by donating to the Red Cross Disaster Relief, which officials said enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters. To donate you can visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767), or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

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Hawaii fires Two Hawaii Army National Guard CH47 Chinook perform aerial water bucket drops on the Island of Maui to assist the fight of wildfires, Maui, Hawaii, August 09, 2023. The two air crews performed 58 total bucket drops in 5 hours in up country Maui totaling over one hundred thousand gallons dropped on the fires. (U.S. National Guard Video by Air Force Master Sgt. Andrew Jackson) (Master Sgt Andrew Jackson)

Hawaii Fires This GOES-18 fire temperature composite satellite image taken 6:30 p.m. EDT. on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023 and released by NOAA, shows hot land surface temperatures in red on the Hawaii Islands. A dangerous mix of conditions appear to have combined to make the wildfires blazing a path of destruction in Hawaii particularly damaging, including high winds, low humidity and dry vegetation. (NOAA via AP) (Uncredited/AP)

Hawaii-Fires In this photo provided by Brantin Stevens smoke fill the air from wild fires at Lahaina harbor on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023 in Hawaii. Fire was widespread in Lahaina Town, including on Front Street, a popular shopping and dining area, County of Maui spokesperson Mahina Martin said by phone early Wednesday. Traffic has been very heavy as people try to evacuate the area, and officials asked people who weren’t in an evacuation area to shelter in place to avoid adding to the traffic, she said. (Brantin Stevens via AP) (Uncredited/AP)

Hawaii Fires People watch as smoke and flames fill the air from raging wildfires on Front Street in downtown Lahaina, Maui on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. Maui officials say wildfire in the historic town has burned parts of one of the most popular tourist areas in Hawaii. County of Maui spokesperson Mahina Martin said in a phone interview early Wednesday says fire was widespread in Lahaina, including Front Street, an area of the town popular with tourists. (Alan Dickar via AP (Alan Dickar/AP)

Hawaii Fires People watch as smoke and flames fill the air from raging wildfires on Front Street in downtown Lahaina, Maui on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2023. Maui officials say wildfire in the historic town has burned parts of one of the most popular tourist areas in Hawaii. County of Maui spokesperson Mahina Martin said in a phone interview early Wednesday says fire was widespread in Lahaina, including Front Street, an area of the town popular with tourists. (Alan Dickar via AP) (Uncredited/AP)

Hawaii Fires Smoke and flames fill the air from raging wildfires on Front Street in downtown Lahaina, Maui on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2023. Maui officials say wildfire in the historic town has burned parts of one of the most popular tourist areas in Hawaii. County of Maui spokesperson Mahina Martin said in a phone interview early Wednesday says fire was widespread in Lahaina, including Front Street, an area of the town popular with tourists. (Alan Dickar via AP) (Alan Dickar/AP)

Hawaii Fires This photo provided by County of Maui shows fire and smoke filling the sky from wildfires on the intersection at Hokiokio Place and Lahaina Bypass in Maui, Hawaii on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. Wildfires in Hawaii fanned by strong winds burned multiple structures in areas including historic Lahaina town, forcing evacuations and closing schools in several communities Wednesday, and rescuers pulled a dozen people escaping smoke and flames from the ocean. (Zeke Kalua/County of Maui via AP) (Zeke Kalua/AP)

Hawaii Winds Fires Smoke blows across the slope of Haleakala volcano on Maui, Hawaii, as a fire burns in Maui's upcountry region on Tuesday, Aug. 8. 2023. Several Hawaii communities were forced to evacuate from wildfires that destroyed at least two homes as of Tuesday as a dry season mixed with strong wind gusts made for dangerous fire conditions. (Matthew Thayer/The Maui News via AP) (Matthew Thayer/AP)

Hawaii Winds Fires Members of a Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources wildland firefighting crew on Maui battle a fire in Kula, Hawaii, on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. Several Hawaii communities were forced to evacuate from wildfires that destroyed at least two homes as of Tuesday as a dry season mixed with strong wind gusts made for dangerous fire conditions. (Matthew Thayer/The Maui News via AP) (Matthew Thayer/AP)

Hawaii Winds Fires A woman evacuates her horse past a Maui County crew working to clear Olinda Road of wind-blown debris in the fire-threatened area of Kula, Hawaii, on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. Several Hawaii communities were forced to evacuate from wildfires that destroyed at least two homes as of Tuesday as a dry season mixed with strong wind gusts made for dangerous fire conditions. (Matthew Thayer/The Maui News via AP) (Matthew Thayer/AP)

Hawaii wildfires Passengers try to rest and sleep while waiting for delayed and canceled flights off the island as thousands of passengers were stranded at the Kahului Airport (OGG) in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui in Kahului, Hawaii on August 9, 2023. The death toll from a wildfire that turned a historic Hawaiian town to ashes has risen to 36 people, officials said on August 9. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

Hawaii wildfires Passengers try to sleep on the floor of the airport terminal while waiting for delayed and canceled flights off the island as thousands of passengers were stranded at the Kahului Airport (OGG) in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui in Kahului, Hawaii on August 9, 2023. The death toll from a wildfire that turned a historic Hawaiian town to ashes has risen to 36 people, officials said on August 9. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

Hawaii wildfires Passengers wait for delayed and canceled flights off the island as thousands of passengers were stranded at the Kahului Airport (OGG) in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui in Kahului, Hawaii on August 9, 2023. The death toll from a wildfire that turned a historic Hawaiian town to ashes has risen to 36 people, officials said on August 9. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

Hawaii wildfires Passengers try to sleep below a "Welcome To Maui" billboard on the floor of the airport terminal while waiting for delayed and canceled flights off the island as thousands of passengers were stranded at the Kahului Airport (OGG) in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui in Kahului, Hawaii on August 9, 2023. The death toll from a wildfire that turned a historic Hawaiian town to ashes has risen to 36 people, officials said on August 9. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

Hawaii wildfires Passengers try to rest and sleep after canceled and delayed flights while others wait to board flights off the island as thousands of passengers were stranded at the Kahului Airport (OGG) in the aftermath of wildfires in western Maui in Kahului, Hawaii on August 9, 2023. The death toll from a wildfire that turned a historic Hawaiian town to ashes has risen to 36 people, officials said on August 9. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

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