More than just Pilot light burning

I got a gas fireplace that I just started for the winter. I had the pilot on for the year. I switched it on and got flame and ran it for close to an hour, then when I switched it off, I noticed that a larger flame at the pilot light was still burning. Usually you got that small blue flame for the standing pilot, but it was burning a little larger blue and orange flame around the pilot. Didn't think this was normal, so I shut off the gas valve for the time being to shut it off. Any idea why it's burning a larger flame around the pilot even though I turned the fireplace off?

 

I sometimes see a lingering flame after turning my gas logs off as well. It usually goes out in a couple seconds. Did your flame continue for some time?

 

Yeah, 15-20 minutes is longest I let it go and it's still a larger than usual flame. I was hoping it would dissipate. But when I shut off the pilot and relight it, it's a small blue flame again. A google search shows it may be some residue, dust, or ashes (though it's not a wood log fire place, it's gas), that's on the pilot.

 

The pilot light flame on those gas fireplaces is pretty large. Mine is like a miniature blowtorch.

If the problem happens again you may need to have the gas valve checked.

 

Mine is pretty large too under normal circumstances, but after this last use, it's really noticeably larger, including an orange flame when it should be primarily blue. I shut it off by turning the gas valve off instead of at the wall switch, but wonder if I will wear out the gas valve that way as I always have to relight the pilot with shutting off the gas valve. I agree it may have to be serviced, or at least cleaned at the pilot assembly from what I researched online. Thanks.