Story highlights Ranchers are still trying to assess the damage, but loss of cattle could be in the thousands

"It burned every acre of the ranch. There's not a blade of grass standing out there"

(CNN) Rancher David Bouziden lost his home, his ranch and nearly all his cattle in wildfires that swept through Kansas this week.

"I'd say personally we probably lost close to 150 head, maybe," he said. "That's probably 90% of our cattle."

Bouziden barely escaped the blaze, which set a state record for the most widespread single fire. On Monday, he was plowing a fireguard on his ranch in Clark County in Southwest Kansas when flames propelled by near-70 mph winds struck the pasture, he said. The smoke engulfed him, forcing him from his tractor to struggle through soot and ash. He could hardly see, he said, but managed to distinguish the outline of a hay shed where his pickup truck was parked.

Bouziden was able to drive to safety, but nearly all his cows were killed in the fire that consumed his home, three outbuildings, hay barns and machinery sheds.

"It burned every acre of the ranch. There's not a blade of grass standing out there."

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