65. Lessons from the 1977 Honda Canyon Fire & the 2016 Canyon Fire at Vandenberg AFB - Mark Smith

In 1977, the Honda Canyon Fire swept across Vandenberg Air Force Base—now Vandenberg Space Force Base—becoming one of the most significant wildfires in the installation’s history and reshaping how the department approached wildland firefighting.

Nearly four decades later, the 2016 Canyon Fire once again challenged the installation, reminding firefighters how complex a wildfire at Vandenberg can become. During the incident, crews faced challenging conditions and a dangerous situation that ultimately resulted in a fire shelter deployment.

In this episode of the FireDawg Podcast, Matt sits down with Chief Mark Smith, who has served at Vandenberg since the early 1990s and has spent years studying and briefing these fires.

Together they discuss:

• The wildland fire environment at Vandenberg • The events of the 1977 Honda Canyon Fire • The creation of Vandenberg’s Hotshot program • The 2016 Canyon Fire and shelter deployment • Lessons learned that still apply today