Three beaches along coastal Vandenberg Air Force Base have been closed through the weekend following a nonfatal shark attack, authorities said Friday.

The attack occurred about 4 p.m. Thursday, military officials said in a brief statement posted on Vandenbergs website.

The attack happened a 400 metres north of Wall Beach, which will be closed along with Surf and Minuteman beaches until 4 p.m. Sunday.

A bite from a great white shark killed a surfer at Surf Beach in October 2012, and a bodyboarder at the same beach died in October 2010 when an apparent great white nearly severed a leg.

Vandenbergs statement only described the latest attack as nonfatal. A base public information officer did not immediately respond to a message seeking additional details.

Vandenberg is a missile and space-launch site in Santa Barbara County about 200 kilometres northwest of Los Angeles.

Surf Beach, which had been closed for several months during the Western Snowy Plovers nesting season, only reopened earlier this week.

All three beaches provide nesting habitat for the endangered bird.

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Shark attack closes three California beaches