Beijing lifted its first red alert on Thursday noon as planned and residents started to breathe the long-awaited clean air, which is expected to last less than two days before air pollution comes back on Saturday.

The first red alert, the highest emergency response level against smog in Beijing, started at 7 am Tuesday, and was lifted as air quality improved on Thursday noon. The red alert lasted for 53 hours.

As of 12 o'clock at noon, the reading of PM2.5 – particulate matter with diameter less than 2.5 microns that is hazardous to human health – was lowered to 26 microgram per cubic meter in the six downtown districts, falling at the best air quality level.