RIAU, Indonesia – Citing much improved air quality, the government will lift Thursday (July 11th) the state of emergency imposed in Riau last month due to haze and smog fuelled by the smoke from deliberately set fires on Sumatra Island, The Jakarta Post reported.

"The haze status will be lifted ... and Riau will be in the recovery phase until October. Presently, the task force is completing its unfinished tasks and the responsibility will shift from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency to the Riau Disaster Mitigation Agency," Riau haze task force co-ordinator Agus Wibowo said Tuesday, according to The Jakarta Post.

Thousands of personnel from the military and the National Police are expected to remain in Riau for another ten days.

"We still remain alert because the ground has started to dry. This month is usually the peak of the dry season in Riau. That's why we have kept our personnel in the field. Their job now is not only to fight forest fires but also to catch people who cause fires," Agus said.