--- description: Large areas of the Calais 'Jungle' were ablaze Wednesday, as more than 1,200 French officials continue to tear the camp down title: Calais 'Jungle' Ablaze As Crews Continue to Dismantle Camp image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt575853d8642b55c4/6988ab9c8e0601b296468013/ap_575852016593.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Calais 'Jungle' is Ablaze As Crews Continue to Dismantle the Migrant Camp by [Kate Samuelson](/author/kate-samuelson/) ## Kate Samuelson Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 13, 2023 5:05 PM CUTPublished: Oct 25, 2016 2:12 PM CUT  Migrant crisis. Smoke rises over the Calais Jungle camp, as several large fires broke out in the near deserted migrant camp in northern France on the third day of the operation to clear it. Picture date: Wednesday October 26, 2016. Migrant crisis. Smoke rises over the Calais Jungle camp, as several large fires broke out in the near deserted migrant camp in northern France on the third day of the operation to clear it. Picture date: Wednesday October 26, 2016.John Stillwell—PA Wire/PA Images by [Kate Samuelson](/author/kate-samuelson/) ## Kate Samuelson Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 13, 2023 5:05 PM CUTPublished: Oct 25, 2016 2:12 PM CUT Large areas of the Calais ‘Jungle’ were ablaze Wednesday, as more than 1,200 French police and government officials continue to tear the squalid camp down. Crews first began dismantling the northern France migrant [camp](http://time.com/4542201/france-demolish-refugee-camp-jungle-calais/ "undefined"), home to roughly 6,000 individuals, late Monday. Roughly 1,900 left the slum voluntarily that day to travel to around 450 temporary residential centers across France. This followed clashes last weekend between migrants and officers, with authorities firing tear gas into the crowds to restore order. Firefighters extinguished several dozen fires early Tuesday set by migrants as they left the makeshift camp – including a fire in the main alley through the camp which burned overnight. Steve Barbet, a spokesman for the regional prefecture, told the _Associated Press_ on Wednesday that one migrant was slightly injured and taken to the Calais hospital. About 100 people were evacuated to a no man’s land at the entrance of the camp during the night. Fabienne Buccio, who manages police, security and government policy in the area, told the agency Tuesday night that migrants “have a tradition” of burning their shelters before leaving. _AP_ reported that some laughed as an aid group’s truck burst into flames. Those dismantling the camp have been tearing down flimsy plywood shelters, tarp-covered huts and other temporary buildings by hand. Backhoes, construction dumpsters and trucks have been carting off the debris. Local officials told _AP_ that the process will be lengthy, given the delicate task of clearing the camp by hand and with small machines. Earlier Wednesday, Pope Francis appealed for more kindness towards migrants, following the news that residents of an Adriatic coastal town formed a blockade to prevent the arrival of 12 female migrants – one of whom was pregnant. “In every age, the phenomenon of immigration calls for a response of openness and solidarity,” he said, _AP_ reports. “In our own day, the growing influx of refugees fleeing war, famine and poverty is a summons to welcome and care for these brothers and sisters.” > [](https://twitter.com/jackeparrock/status/791241835100405760) The ‘Jungle’ is the last stop between continental Europe and Great Britain, from which many attempt the short but [often fatal journey](https://calaismigrantsolidarity.wordpress.com/deaths-at-the-calais-border/ "undefined") across the English Channel. Officials estimate that the camp houses some 6,ooo migrants, while local charities have put the number at about 10,000. The situation has been an ongoing source of tension between the two neighboring countries, leaving migrants in limbo as neither side is prepared to accept responsibility. An October survey by [Refugee Rights Data Project](http://refugeerights.org.uk/ "undefined") found that 59.21% of respondents living in the Jungle camp said that if the camp disappeared they would remain in the French port or sleep in the streets. Authorities said that Monday marked the permanent closure of the 16-year-old camp. But as lawyer Norbert Clement, who works with refugees in Calais, [told TIME last week](http://time.com/4541541/calais-jungle-refugee-camp-asylum/ "undefined"), “To imagine that no refugees will come to Calais again is a fairy tale.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4544262/dismantling-calais-jungle-camp/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4544262/dismantling-calais-jungle-camp/"},"headline":"Calais 'Jungle' is Ablaze As Crews Continue to Dismantle the Migrant Camp","datePublished":"2016-10-25T14:12:14.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-13T17:05:29.000Z","description":"Officials estimate that the camp houses about 6,ooo migrants","url":"https://time.com/4544262/dismantling-calais-jungle-camp/","keywords":["France","Refugees","migrants","Calais"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt575853d8642b55c4/6988ab9c8e0601b296468013/ap_575852016593.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Kate Samuelson","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/kate-samuelson/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt575853d8642b55c4/6988ab9c8e0601b296468013/ap_575852016593.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Migrant crisis","caption":"Migrant crisis","creditText":"John Stillwell—PA Wire/PA Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4544262/dismantling-calais-jungle-camp/","name":"Calais 'Jungle' is Ablaze As Crews Continue to Dismantle the Migrant Camp"}}]}] ```