Hurricane Erin’s distant track off Florida’s east coast has helped to pull in dry air, worsening drought conditions and fueling wildfires across the state, including a massive 20,000-acre blaze northwest of Miami.

Meteorologists are closely tracking the projected path and forecast of Hurricane Erin, which is the first hurricane to develop over the Atlantic this year.

Hurricane Erin's higher tides and big waves are battering much of the East Coast, with the large storm prompting the expansion of tropical storm and coastal flooding advisories Wednesday. Beachfront property owners are bracing for the worst amid predictions of a storm surge of up to 4 feet and significant coastal erosion.