Fire-ravaged south west France experienced its "first somewhat optimistic day" on Thursday since wildfires broke out more than a week ago, a top local official said.

French firefighters have battled wildfires in the Gironde département which forced the evacuation of 220,000 people for more than a week.

The blazes have destroyed more than 200 homes and 42,000 hectares.

"It is the first somewhat optimistic day, because we have the feeling that we are beginning to return to normal life and that things are starting to improve significantly," said Sophie Brocas, the Préfet of the département of Gironde that was hit hardest by the fires.

Listen to the team at The Local discussing the wildfires in a special episode of the Talking France podcast - download here

 

But it was still too early to say when the fire will be fully contained, she said.

"There are still two active hotspots," Brocas added.

Crews will "work throughout the night and tomorrow morning to reinforce the firebreaks and secure the edges," she added.

Fire chief Marc Vermeulen declined to say when the fires would be contained.

"Giving you a date would be too risky on my part," he told reporters.

"It will depend on how the terrain reacts, the number of remaining flare-ups that emerge, and also on the weather conditions we will face over the coming days."

Earlier Thursday, 84,000 more people displaced by the blazes were authorised to return home.

There is still major travel disruption in the area, with dozens of roads closed including the A63 - the main road that links France and Spain. Meanwhile SNCF says that trains south of Bordeaux will not restart until at least Sunday.

READ ALSO: Should you cancel your French holiday due to wildfires?

The Gironde fire is not the only wildfire ongoing - on Wednesday and Thursday fires in the southern Var département forced dozens to evacuate, including the Hollywood film star George Clooney, who owns a home there.

He wrote to the local mayor that he had "no idea whether our beautiful home makes it through this terrible moment", but that he and his wife Amal would help the commune recover from the blazes.

Meanwhile a wildfire in the Forest of Fontainebleau, 60km south of Paris, flared up again on Wednesday evening.

According to the Feux de Forêt app, 30 fires are burning in France on Friday morning.

READ ALSO: MAPS: Where are all the wildfires and warnings in France right now?