A family has been "left with nothing" after their home was gutted by fire when a four-year-old boy lit paper on a stove in Melbourne’s north.

Firefighters found the house engulfed with flames after being called to the blaze on Narina Way, Epping, just after 10pm on Sunday.

The Narina Way home was gutted by the blaze. Credit:Justin McManus

The boy and his mother and father managed to escape before fire crews arrived.

"Luckily in this case the smoke alarms actually alerted the parents to fire and were able to get outside quickly with their son so no one was injured," Metropolitan Fire Brigade Commander Dave Harris told radio 3AW.