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, July 19, 2026, according to law enforcement officials.

The victims included Spencer Long, a captain in the Provo fire department, his wife Katrina Long, and their three sons Reid, Thayne, and Gage. The family had arrived that day at Sunglow campground in a scenic red rock canyon near Bicknell, Utah, for their excursion.

“It is believed the family fell victim to flooding caused by heavy rains,” the Wayne County sheriff’s office said in a news release. Deputies were called to the campground Friday night after the body of a young man was found in the flood wash.

Although the sheriff’s office did not initially identify the victims, the Provo fire department confirmed on social media that Captain Spencer Long and his family members were killed. The department expressed heartbreak and extended thoughts to their family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.

Katrina Long was the co-founder of Summit Medical Spa, which posted on Facebook: “Our hearts are with all of their loved ones as we grieve the unimaginable loss of Katrina, her husband, and their three beautiful boys.”

A GoFundMe site was established by a family friend to support the Longs’ daughter, who was not on the trip, as she copes with the loss.

Sources