TYLER — Federal officials believe a serial arsonist is to blame for the rash of fires at East Texas churches.

Clay Alexander, the head of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives office in Tyler, said today that one person or a group of people is at work in East Texas.

Alexander called the latest two fires, set Monday night, suspicious. They’re being investigated as arsons, though an arson ruling hasn’t been made.

Since Jan. 1, fires at seven East Texas churches and one in central Texas have been confirmed as arsons. The ATF is leading the investigation into the fires.

Alexander says officials aren’t releasing details of how the churches were entered or what kind of accellerant was used.