Stephen L. Quarles, Ph.D.
IBHS Research Center
eXtension Wildfire Information Network
Community of Practice:
Subject Matter Leader
Short Biography
Steve Quarles joined IBHS in 2011 as a senior scientist after 26 years with the University of California. His research and outreach focuses on wildfire protection for residential and light commercial buildings and improving the moisture-related durability and resilience of buildings following hurricane/high-wind events. He was an IBHS wildfire consultant between 2008 and 2011. Now he occupies the South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association Hazard Resilience Chair at the Research Center. Prior to joining IBHS, Steve worked for the University of California Cooperative Extension where he addressed durability and in-service performance issues of wood-frame buildings and in particular focused on the performance of exterior-use building materials, components and assemblies subjected to wildfire exposures. During 2007 and 2008 he worked part-time as a contract employee with the California Office of the State Fire Marshal where he developed, coordinated and served as an instructor for the educational program related to the 2008 Wildland Urban Interface (wildfire) California Building Code and Standards. Steve joined the University of California in 1985, and was hired as a Cooperative Extension Advisor in 2000. After retiring from the University, Steve was conferred the title of Cooperative Extension Advisor, Emeritus.
Steve earned a bachelor’s degree in wood science from Virginia Tech in 1976, and a master’s and a doctorate’s degree, also in wood science, from the University of Minnesota in 1978 and 1985. He worked for Weyerhaeuser in southern Georgia between 1978 and 1980. Steve is a member of the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) where he is secretary for and task group chair in the E05.14 Subcommittee on Exterior Fire, the Forest Products Society, where it is Editor in Chief of the Forest Products Journal, the Society of Wood Science and Technology, the National Fire Protection Association, and the American Wood Protection Association.
