Hi, my dd2 also has very fine and very curly hair, impossible to comb: so far, no lice on anyone near, but am dreading it so feel for you!
dd1 has fine blonde hair and I have been told I would see lice easily on her, nits less so (if they are empty egg cases, they are transparent/white). My friend's dd had them, and she thought her dd had sand on her head - taht was the nits, not the lice.
Yes, you have to comb anyway, but my action plan is to use Hedrin (when lice arrive - am expecting them now dd1 is at school) which is non-chemical, follow up with combing, and if necessary, cut dd2's hair short so that its easier to comb without pain. Then, favourite DVD, loads of conditioner, and possibly chocolate buttons.
Meantime, you could try spraying your dd's hair with Nitty Gritty or other repellent spray (tea tree, basically) and if its long, tie it back/plait it. Has worked for dd1 so far, and she never caught them at pre-school when there was an epidemic then.
Good luck!