Carlie Stobbe, 11, stands by a fence where her house use to be after fire gutted five homes in the northwest community of Citadel. Carlie is being hailed a hero by her family and fire officials for saving the lives of her mom and grandparents, who were asleep when the blaze broke out. (Darren Makowichuk/Sun Media)

CALGARY -- While they're giving Carlie Stobbe an award for her bravery, perhaps someone should present her grandpa with an alarm clock at the same time.

The 11-year-old hero of the Citadel inferno certainly deserves recognition for her alertness, which saved her entire family from the raging fire, which devoured five Calgary homes in the pre-dawn of Saturday morning.

Grandpa Jack, on the other hand, could use a new alarm clock as a lasting reminder of the night he kept sleeping, rather than heed the proddings of his concerned granddaughter.

"First I went to my grandpa's room to try and wake him up, but he ignored me," laughed Carlie, the day after the massive blaze on Citadel Forest Place.

"So then I went into my mom's room and woke her up instead."

Kim Stobbe gives her daughter all the credit.

"She's definitely a hero. She's our hero -- especially for managing to wake me up, because I'm a really deep sleeper," said Kim.

Carlie's mom took her daughter's report of strange lights more seriously than did Grandpa Jack.

Kim got out of bed, opened the curtains, and saw flames only metres away from her face.

The house next door was engulfed.

Some panicked shouting and yelling later, the entire family -- Carlie, her mom and grandparents -- fled to the garage and jumped in a car, backing it out of the driveway with their own home already burning around them.

Witnesses say another minute or two was all that separated Carlie's family from a happy ending and tragedy, and the three adults clearly owe their lives to the determined young lady.

Carlie's alert mind and quick action has the Calgary Fire Department eyeing her for official recognition as a hero.

"The Fire Department will be considering her heroic efforts for a recognition award," said fire department spokeswoman Deb Bergeson yesterday.

Firefighters called Saturday's 4 a.m. blaze a "perfect storm" after struggling through snow-clogged streets to reach the inferno, which had been whipped into a furnace of flames by fierce winter winds.

Carlie is thrilled to hear that her decision to get up and wake her family may earn her an award.

"That would be totally awesome," she said, when told fire officials were pondering the citation.

While she modestly admits she's "probably" a hero, Carlie is still not sure why she suddenly woke up in the middle of the night.

"I don't usually wake up that easily. I just remember opening my eyes and there were lights coming from the window, lights shining on my face," said Carlie.

"I knew it wasn't (Christmas lights) -- I've never seen Christmas lights like that."

She could hear strange noises too, perhaps someone talking outside. Instead of opening her curtains, Carlie decided to wake up grandpa.

That the family is in a jovial mood, laughing and cracking jokes after losing their house and belongings, is no surprise.

Just consider what might have been lost.

Insurance is expected to cover all that was consumed by the fire, believed started in the house next door. The cause is still under investigation.

Of course, no money can replace sentimental items, and Kim spoke with a sigh about irreplaceable baby pictures now reduced to ashes.

Carlie thought for a minute, and then said if she could rescue one thing, it'd be a stuffed animal.

"I'd take my Build-a-Bear with me," she said.

The family has now moved into a hotel while they wait for insurance adjusters to sort out the damage, and Kim says they've been inundated with calls of support from friends wanting to help out.

She says the hardest part is having no home to just retreat to, to relax, reflect, and take it all in.

"We have nowhere to go," she said.

But Kim hardly feels sorry for herself -- she pointed out how lucky the family really is: "When you think about what might have happened..."

As for Carlie, she says an important lesson has been learned -- especially by Grandpa Jack, who just wanted to keep sleeping.

"I don't think he'll ever do that again," said Carlie, laughing.

MICHAEL.PLATT@SUNMEDIA.CA