Fire officials are investigating two church fires that broke out within three miles and less than an hour apart Monday night near Tyler, Texas.

Seven church fires in East and Central Texas have been confirmed as arson this year, but officials weren’t ready to call Monday’s the ninth and 10th.

“The fires are just starting to cool down,” Smith County Assistant Fire Marshal Oren Hale said. “We are just now getting our people out there to investigate.”

The first blaze was reported about 8:45 p.m. at Dover Baptist Church on FM1995 northwest of Tyler.

The second broke out about 9:20 p.m. three miles to the west at Clear Springs Missionary Baptist Church on County Road 426.

No one was inside the churches at the time of the fires. Both buildings were destroyed, Hale said.

Pastor Carl Samples surveyed the damage late Monday at his church, Dover Baptist, which had just completed interior renovations.

He said he "can't comprehend how anyone would do the Lord's house this way."

The previous church fire was Thursday at Russell Memorial United Methodist in Wills Point, about 45 miles east of Dallas.

Hale said investigators have leads but would not comment further.

Anyone with information about church fires can call 1-888-ATF-FIRE.

A reward of $10,000 is being offered.