We have one of the IMI gas fireplaces with a remote. We were trying to figure out if a little bit of gas smell outside every once an a while is halfway normal or what the deal is. When we go to start it, it starts up normal, but when we turn it off we notice it will randomly flare up for a fraction of a second every once and a while. Not sure if it's an adjustment, normal operation, or the valve is bad. But figure one of yall might know.

Until you get a proper answer more on target .... IMI guessing it means an auto ignition ...
almost always a propane log fireplace here, both match-light pilot and now always lit pilot w/switch to ignite

1. randomly flare up for a fraction of a second every once and a while
actually this is more common to when both types ignites
except the first type was having some air-mix issues and then sometimes it might exhibit such on shut down

2. little bit of gas smell outside every so often
when type one was on bottles, indeed would emit smells out at bottles, more or less as temperatures affected bottle aka tank contents and all those seals
type two is connected to a truck filled large tank that doesn't seem to have those issues

From all this, my poor guess would be a tiny air leak in fuel supply line, first looking at seals/connections, then rust. There's another air mix at the fire that's not fun to adjust.
A licensed gas fireplace plumber that agrees with this has equipment to pressure test, et al. unto a solution.

There's no smell inside, so I'm thinking it might just be the auto valve assembly going bad. The fireplace is one of the sealed ones so you can't light with a match. So know the leak has to be on the burner side not through the pipes or valve.

Might just buy a new valve assembly and see what happens. Sounds like these ignition systems and fireplaces all end up with issues.