The woman, who did not want to be identified, said she was sound asleep when she was woken by a "massive bang", which she now believes was the glass in the front door imploding in the flames.
It was 4.10am and she looked out her bedroom window to the porch, not understanding for a moment what was going on.
When she realised the orange glow was a fire, she and her dog ran.
"We just ran straight out the back.
"I was screaming my lungs out, according to the neighbours, but I can't remember doing that," she said yesterday.
Alerted by her screams, her neighbours rose and together setting their garden hoses at the woman's front door were able to extinguish the fire, although the front door and part of the hallway were extensively damaged.
It appeared someone had sneaked up her path and, despite a working porch security light, set the door mat alight using an accelerant, she said.
She had no idea who it was, or why they might have targeted her.
"I've lived here for 20 years.
"This used to be such a good, quiet neighbourhood, until I had this trouble."
Police are investigating.
