Marginal imprint of human land use upon fire history in a mire-dominated boreal landscape of the Veps Highland, North-West Russia

•Veps Highland deviates from other Nordic fire history reconstructions with its period of increased fire activity being observed exclusively during the 1700s.•The land-use history of the area did not appear to have an effect on the historical fire dynamics.•The fire regime of the Veps Highland remained largely natural until the onset of the 20th century.