The military?s final report on May?s Pinelands wildfire released Thursday confirmed pilot error was the major cause.

The flames tore through as many as 18,000 acres of land and kept firefighters busy for days. Thousands were forced to pack up and move out. Four homes were destroyed and parts of more than 50 others melted.

The report says the pilot of an F-16 fighter jet mistakenly fired a flare into an extremely dry section of Ocean County forest during a military training mission. It also says poor communication led up to the massive wildfire.

The report states that the pilot released the flare below a restricted level of 500 feet, and that the pilot was never told flares were not allowed due to dry conditions.

The flare drop was reportedly part of an unplanned maneuver requested by flight controllers on the ground.

A second Air Force board is also reviewing the fire and will make safety recommendations to prevent something similar from happening in the future.

The military is not releasing the pilot's name and has not given word on whether any punishments will be handed out to anyone involved.

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