Pilot dead after wildfire-fighting helicopter crashes near Evansburg, Alta.

The pilot of a helicopter that crashed Monday night as it battled a wildfire west of Edmonton is dead.

The man's bodywas recovered from thewreckage of the downed aircraft onMonday evening, RCMP confirmed to CBC News.

The pilotwas 49, RCMP said.

RCMP declined to say where the pilot was from, but said he was a contractor involved in fighting a wildfireburningnear the community of Evansburg, Alta.

The pilot was the sole personaboard the helicopter when it crashed,RCMPspokespersonFraser Logan told CBC News.

The pilot's next of kin was notified late Monday evening, hesaid.

'Many eyewitnesses' to crash

Emergency crewswere called to the scene around 6:30 p.m. local time after RCMPreceived a 911 call reporting the crash.Evansburg RCMP,EMS, firefightersand Alberta Wildfire responded to the sitein a remote area west of Highway 22 and north of Highway 16 in Yellowhead County.

The location is not accessible by road and police were brought to the scene byaircraft.

Logan saidtheterrain of the remote crash site was "difficult," butwitness accounts helped first responders narrow their search for the wreckage.

"It wasn't an exhaustivesearch because many eyewitnessessaw the helicopter go down," Fraser said.

RCMP are co-operating with Transportation Safety Board (TSB)investigators, who are taking charge of the investigation, Logan said.

The TSB is deploying two investigators to the scene of the crash, the agency confirmed in a statement. The investigators wereexpected to arrive on scene Tuesday morning.

The crash involved a Bell 212 helicopter, the TSBsaid. Also known as the Twin Two-Twelve, the Bell 212 is a two-blade, medium helicopter that has been in operation since the late 1960s.

Fire being held

The 175-hectarewildfire has been burning in the region since last weekwhen it triggered a temporary evacuation of nearby homes.The fireis now classified as being held, meaning it is not expected to grow.

Each day, helicopters have been deployed tothefire, oftenpulling water from nearby Chip Lake to stiflethe flames.

No new growth has been detected on the fire for more than a week, but firefighters continue to douse hot spots.

On Monday, when the chopper crashed,83 firefighters continued to reinforce the containment lineand extinguish hot spots with the assistance of three helicopters working from the air.

Alberta Wildfire issued a statement, confirming that one of its contractors had died fighting the wildfire about 100 kilometres west of Edmonton.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Devin Dreeshenoffered his condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the pilot.

"While we mourn a life lost in the line of duty, Alberta's brave first responders continue to put themselves in danger every day to protect Alberta families.

"For that, we thank them. I ask Albertans to do all that they can to prevent wildfires so that our first responders can get home safe."