Weather 
Five family members who had set out for a day of hiking were killed after a flash flood swept through canyons of southern Utah on Friday, law enforcement officials said.
The victims were a captain in the Provo, Utah, fire department, his wife and their sons, according to fire officials. A daughter who was not on the trip survived.
The family arrived Friday at Sunglow Campground in a scenic red rock canyon near Bicknell, Utah for their day excursion, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office said.
“It is believed the family fell victim to flooding caused by heavy rains,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Although the sheriff’s office did not identify the victims, the Provo Fire Department confirmed in a social media post that a fire captain, Spencer Long, and his family members were killed.
“We are absolutely heartbroken by the death of Captain Spencer Long and his family. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time,” officials with the fire department wrote.
The fire department changed its Facebook profile photo to the agency’s badge marked with a black bar across the emblem to signal the death of a member.
Later Friday night, deputies were called to the campground after the body of a young male was found in the flood wash. The bodies of the other family members were recovered late Friday and Saturday.
Heavy rain and flooding moved through the area Friday, creating dangerous conditions for those recreating outdoors, CBS affiliate KUTV reported, citing deputies.
Meanwhile, tributes poured into the family.
Long, his wife Katrina and their sons Reid, Thayne and Gage died in the devastating floods, according to a GoFundMe site set up by a family friend to support the Longs’ daughter as she navigates the loss of her family.
GoFundMe
“Our Provo Fire family is heartbroken to lose Captain Spencer Long, his wife Katrina, and their three sons Reid, Thayne and Gage due to a devastating flash flood Thursday evening,” the fundraise page reads. “In an instant, their daughter Lydia lost the people she loved most and is now facing an unimaginable future without them.”
The GoFundMe had raised over $184,000 as of Monday.
“Spencer and Katrina were loving, devoted parents whose greatest joy was their family. They touched the lives of so many with their kindness, generosity, and unwavering love,” Bree Nielson wrote on the page.
Katrina Long was the cofounder of a medical spa. “Our hearts are with all of their loved ones as we grieve the unimaginable loss of Katrina, her husband, and their three beautiful boys,” Summit Medical Spa posted on Facebook.
Wayne County Sheriff Micah Gulley said multiple agencies helped with the search, including Sevier County Search and Rescue, the Utah Highway Patrol and the helicopter crew from the Utah Department of Public Safety.
