And while the plane was within Federal Aviation Administration guidelines when it dropped the fuel, experts have said the best practice is to discharge at a higher elevation so that fuel dissipates before it hits the ground.
However, FAA regulations do allow dumps at lower altitudes — at least 2,000 feet higher than anything on the ground within five miles, the agency said.
See: Juan Brown, Blanco Lirio youtube .com. I think a ATP rated 777 pilot has more credibility than the LA Times, just sayin’.