Calais camp clearance to resume after overnight fire

Fires have devastated parts of the "Jungle" migrant camp in Calais, as French authorities continue operations to demolish it.

At least one gas canister exploded with one migrant lightly injured in his inner ear and being taken to hospital, reports said, citing a Calais prefecture official.

The clearance began on Monday and about 4,000 migrants out of some 7,000 being taken from the squalid camp to shelters around France.

But between Tuesday and Wednesday, ritual tent and shelter-burning and some gas-bottle explosions were reported.

"The operation will continue today to remove the empty shelters and to avoid them being set fire to again," a prefecture spokesman said, according to Reuters news agency.

Late on Tuesday, regional prefect Fabienne Buccio said it was difficult to prevent the fires.

"We asked them not to do it - but they set ablaze their tents and their shelters when they leave," she said.

"We are on standby, the fire brigade is in the vicinity to guarantee security and to prevent the fire from spreading. It's part of a tradition. Even if we would like them to refrain from doing it, they do it."

Local opposition to the presence of over 6,000 people at the squalid and insanitary camp and criticism from right-wing politicians has stung the government into action.