The most important thing you can do for your rain gutter is to keep it clear of debris. This debris can be readily ignited by wildfire embers. Let's assume that your gutter is full of debris and is ignited by embers during a wildfire. If you have a metal (that is, noncombustible) gutter, it will stay in place, and the resulting flames will contact the edge of your roof and possibly ignite it. Under the same scenario but with a vinyl gutter, the gutter will quickly detach and fall to the ground. If the burning gutter lands in flammable materials, the fire could intensify and threaten the home to a greater degree. The key is keep your rain gutters free of vegetative debris during fire season.

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