Story highlights Hundreds of animals were taken to temporary shelters

Horses were treated for severe burns and smoke inhalation

(CNN) Horse owners scrambled to rescue and evacuate hundreds of animals as wildfires raged across Southern California.

Virginia Padilla said her 7-year-old horse "Ruben" was burned over 65% of his body.

"It's awful. There's no words to explain it. I'm very fortunate he's alive because, I mean so many people have lost their horses," Padilla told CNN affiliate KCAL.

As flames engulfed her Sylmar barn earlier this week, she tried to save more than 60 animals. When animal control officers arrived to help her, they saw and heard "horses in distress" but were only able to evacuate some of animals before the barn's roof collapsed.

Virginia Padilla, left, and her brother Jaime Padilla assess their ranch after 29 horses perished.

Twenty-nine horses died during the Creek Fire and those who were rescued sustained severe burns and were treated for smoke inhalation, dehydration and stress.

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